The Southern Pines Police Department is urging residents to avoid driving after consuming alcohol following a recent increase in traffic collisions involving impaired drivers.
“Alcohol impairs judgment, reflexes, and reaction time, making it extremely dangerous to drive,” reminds the Southern Pines Police Department. “Even a small amount of alcohol can significantly increase your risk of being involved in an accident.”
The department said officers are taking a proactive approach to enforcing impaired-driving offenses due to a recent surge in incidents.
Data from the North Carolina Department of Transportation shows there were 11,860 alcohol-related crashes statewide, including 409 fatal collisions. In Moore County, 101 crashes involved alcohol, and four were fatal.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes each day, which is one person every 42 minutes. In 2023, 12,429 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in the United States. That year, 282 children aged 14 and younger were killed in crashes involving drunk drivers.
North Carolina’s legal blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.08 for most drivers and 0.04 for commercial drivers.
The department encouraged drivers to buckle up, avoid drinking and driving, follow the speed limit, and stay alert on the road. Safe decisions now can prevent tragedies during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
To sign up for the free Sandhills Sentinel breaking news e-newsletter, please click here.
~ Written by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021. Photo by Sandhills Sentinel photographer Melissa Schaub.
Follow us: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Threads | Newsletter
