County law enforcement targets underage drinking
With spring break occurring in April, it is prime time for many teens to let loose, have fun and forget about the worries of school. While enjoying springtime festivities is a great way for teens to rejuvenate, those who drink alcohol need to be aware — local law enforcement will be out in full force this April to crack down on underage drinking‚ especially teens who drink and drive‚ and to deter adults who provide the alcohol or places to consume.
This special enforcement crackdown is part of northern Maine’s new “Underage Drinking. Adult Consequences” campaign to help save more lives on local roadways. This is the first of six waves to spread the message and put a stop to underage drinking‚ and underage drinking and driving.
Law enforcement organizations in the area are stepping up enforcement efforts and teaming up with local community leaders, concerned citizens, responsible parents and other dedicated volunteers to save lives by cracking down on underage drinking, and underage drinking and driving and on those who provide the alcohol.
“Our goal is to stop the drinking before it begins by increasing law enforcement activities that deter underage drinking — and drinking and driving,” said Chief Michael Gahagan of the Caribou Police Department and Chair of the Aroostook County Chiefs’ Association. “We want every teen and parent in our community to know that we will not tolerate underage drinking anytime, and during April, we will be especially focused on this effort,” he added.
From 2006-10, 142 people in Maine died as a result of a crash involving a 15- to 20-year-old driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .01 or above.
“Unfortunately, underage drinking doesn’t just affect the teens who make bad choices. Countless innocent lives are lost each year because of crashes involving underage drinkers,” said Chief Gahagan.
In 2010 alone, of the traffic fatalities in Maine that involved a 15- to 20-year-old driver, 22 percent of the drivers had a BAC of .01 or above. Add to that, that fatalities involving that population, jumped more than 30 percent from 2009 to 2010.
Funded by an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the goal of this strong “Underage Drinking. Adult Consequences” campaign is to save more lives by putting an end to underage drinking‚ and underage drinking and driving. Participating law enforcement organizations in the campaign include the Northern Task Force, Caribou Police Department, Houlton Police Department, Washburn Police Department, Fort Fairfield Police Department, Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Police Department, Madawaska Police Department, Limestone Police Department, and the Van Buren Police Department.
“Our law enforcement agencies are coming together to make our roadways safer and to protect the lives of our teens and many innocent victims,” Chief Gahagan said. “We will apprehend anyone underage that we find drinking‚ especially those that drink and drive.”
For more information please visit www.NHTSA.gov.
