As party-goers celebrate Cinco de Mayo with sombreros, mariachi music and authentic cuisine, many will also indulge with their favorite margarita or tequila, and then, unfortunately, choose to get behind the wheel. That’s why this year the Ohio State Highway Patrol will be joining with other law enforcement agencies across the state to encourage everyone to plan ahead this Cinco de Mayo and to never drive impaired.
The Patrol is planning high-visibility enforcement and OVI checkpoints across the state in an effort to reduce OVI-related fatal and injury crashes.
“We can’t fight the battle against impaired driving on our own – We need your commitment to make our roads safe,” said Colonel John Born, Patrol superintendent. “You can contribute to a safer Ohio by actively influencing friends and family to make safe, responsible decisions – like planning ahead to designate a driver and insisting that everyone in the vehicle is buckled up.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2007 to 2011, 38 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities that occurred each year around May 5th involved impaired drivers or motorcycle operators with blood alcohol concentrations of .08 and above.
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