EVERETT — Expect to see lots of police on the roads tonight as Snohomish County law enforcement officials participate in the 17th annual Night of 1,000 Stars, a statewide effort to crack down on holiday drunken driving.
The program’s name comes from the number of extra patrols statewide.
Slick, icy roads can cause fatal accidents, especially when people drink too much alcohol at holiday parties, officials said. That’s one of the reasons why the Christmas and New Year’s holidays traditionally are among the deadliest where drunken-driving crashes are concerned.
Police hope the extra patrols will help save lives.
“We’re not trying to put a damper on things. We’re asking people to be adults and be prepared,” Washington State Patrol trooper Kirk Rudeen said.
Have a plan before you go out to celebrate, he said. Choose a designated driver, take public transportation or call a taxi.
The State Patrol plans to have 38 troopers working tonight, more than double the typical amount for a Friday night, Rudeen said.
The Night of 1,000 Stars is usually held on the second Friday of December. Last year, state troopers made 24 drunken-driving arrests in the county during the special patrol, about twice as many as on most weekend nights, he said.
Altogether, all the police departments in Snohomish County made 30 drunken-driving arrests last year during the program, said Tracy McMillan, Snohomish County DUI and Traffic Safety Task Force coordinator.
“If you’re going to be out celebrating, think before you drink and arrange for a taxi or designated driver,” she said.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office plans to have four deputies looking for drunken drivers tonight, possibly more, spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.
“Our goal is fairly simple and straightforward: to keep people safe — including those who drink and drive — so they can enjoy the holiday season and so their families don’t have to endure a horrible loss. We’d much rather make a DUI stop than investigate a fatality,” Hover said.
Anyone who thinks police don’t take drunken driving seriously are in for a surprise, Rudeen said.
“If they make that choice to drive while impaired, there’s a pretty good chance we’re going to find them and take them off the road,” he said.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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