A local and state effort to help keep Kansas roads safe is set to begin later this week.
The Saline County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) will join other law enforcement agencies across the state in the "You Drink. You Drive. You Lose." campaign, which is scheduled for Thursday through Labor Day, Sept. 7.
According to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan, the campaign is intended to remind drivers of the following.
●Have a sober driver lined up before you drink alcohol away from home or take a sober ride to and from the location. Remember, this is your decision.
●Before you take a new prescription medication, check your medications for driving warnings. More and more in Kansas, DUI arrests occurr during daytime hours, largely due to side effects of prescription drugs.
●Before you choose to drive after drinking , know that Kansas ignition interlock laws require that any driver convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) must install an ignition interlock device, including an electronic log device, on every vehicle owned by or registered to the convicted driver.
●Before you choose to drive after drinking, take a moment to consider how it would be to begin every day with the memory of your decision if it resulted in injury or death. If you are driving impared, you are not only more likely to crash, but that crash is much more likely to cause serious injury or death.
●Before you choose to drink and drive, think about your family, your friends, your coworkers, your neighbors. Just think.
●Always wear your seatbelt. It's your best defense against impaired drivers. Every trip. Every time.
Additionally, if you’re traveling for the Labor Day holiday, KHP offers the following tips.
●Always wear your seat belt. It’s your best defense against impaired drivers. Every trip, every time.
●Check your vehicle’s condition, including tires, fluid levels and mechanical equipment.
●Check road conditions at www.kandrive.org to look for construction or delays on your route.
●Allow plenty of time to arrive at your destination.
●Buckle up and make sure your children are in the appropriately fitted child safety seats.
●Have an emergency kit in your vehicle with essentials such as water, flashlights, chargers, blankets and non-perishable food.
KHP wishes safe travels to all of those traveling the state’s roadways. If you need assistance on a Kansas highway, call KHP for assistance at *47 (*HP), or for those traveling on the Kansas Turnpike, call *582 (*KTA).