BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – On the 4th of July weekend, there are bound to be plenty of cookouts and at-home fireworks shows. In many cases, there is also alcohol.
“Generally, one beer they are fine.” said Lt. Jason McDaniel with the Beckley Police Department. “It’s when they’ve had three or 3.5 beers. They feel a little bit buzzed and that’s why they call it buzzed driving… That’s actually the worst time to drive.”
With warm weather and a popular holiday happening on Saturday, you’re likely to see more people on the road and more intoxicated drivers . Luckily, law enforcement officers are ready.
“Highway Safety was suspended due to COVID-19, but Highway Safety has reopened, so there is more manpower right now. Especially around the holidays, we always increase the manpower.”
Although drunk driving incidents tend to spike over holidays, McDaniel says that isn’t the only kind of intoxicated driving they’re looking out for.
“We see a lot of impaired driving due to other sources of intoxication other than alcohol. be it heroin, pills, meth, cocaine, marijuana, all kinds of impaired driving.”
Driving while intoxicated can lead to a huge financial loss after needing to pay legal fees and potentially replacing your vehicle. The most costly consequence, however, could be a person’s life.
“You’re not only taking a chance for yourself, you’re going to hurt other people. There’s innocent people out there. It could be someone on a bicycle or a kid walking. It could be another person in a car.”
