2009-39
PRESS RELEASE :  October 29, 2009
FROM:   The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT: Lieutenant Harold Tillman (785) 296-3102

Shawnee County Checkland Scheduled for Halloween

The Kansas Highway Patrol will be conducting a sobriety check lane this weekend in Topeka. The check lane will begin at 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, and will last until 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. Kansas Highway Patrol troopers will be looking for drivers who show signs of impairment. The Topeka Police Department and Shawnee County Sheriff's Office have also been invited to join the Patrol for this check lane.

In the state of Kansas last year, there were 3,366 crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. There were 131 people killed, and 1,999 injured in alcohol-related crashes in 2008. In the last 10 years, 1,191 lives have been lost in Kansas as a result of alcohol-related crashes.

Some tips to help keep you safe and free from jail time:

1. If you plan to drive, do not drink.
2. If you plan to drink, designate a non-drinking driver and give that person your keys.
3. Never ride with a driver who has been drinking.
4. Take a list of phone numbers with you for cabs or friends to call for a sober ride home.
5. If possible, plan to spend the night at the event.
6. If you are throwing a party, provide non-alcoholic alternatives, and never let guests drive drunk.
7. Report impaired drivers to your local law enforcement agency.
8. Always buckle up and properly secure children in their safety seats.