By Bailey Coyle, Fox23 News
OKLAHOMA — As people across Green Country ring in the New Year, law enforcement agencies are stepping up efforts to keep impaired drivers off the roads and ensure everyone makes it home safely.
The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office says DUI enforcement deputies will be working extended hours on New Year’s Eve, from 6 p.m. until 3 a.m., specifically looking for impaired drivers.
“We will have more of our DUI enforcement deputies out on patrol during those hours solely for the purpose of hunting down impaired drivers,” said Sgt. LaMont Hill with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office.
While deputies say DUI-related incidents have decreased in recent years, they’re still expecting some drivers to take risks.
“The last couple of years it’s not been so bad, which is a huge positive,” Hill said. “But there will be some out there, and we will be out there looking for them.”
Deputies say enforcement will be focused in areas with higher concentrations of bars, nightclubs, and other establishments where alcohol is served. They’re also urging sober drivers to stay alert and watch for signs of impaired driving, including swerving between lanes, excessive speeding, delayed starts at stoplights, or anything else that seems unusual.
“Be vigilant. Keep your head on a swivel,” Hill said. “You can do a lot to prevent yourself from being a victim of an impaired driving crash by knowing the behaviors and making evasive movements when needed.”
Hill says drivers who see someone they believe is impaired should call 911 immediately, stressing that impaired driving is considered an emergency because it puts lives at risk. He also reminds everyone to buckle up, saying seatbelts can save lives in the event of a crash.
In Bartlesville, police are offering a free alternative to driving impaired through the department’s annual Chief’s Safe Ride Home program.
“For the past several years, we’ve provided rides for people who may have had a little too much fun on the holiday,” said Lt. Chris Neal with the Bartlesville Police Department.
The program runs from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. Anyone within Bartlesville city limits who has been drinking and needs a safe ride home can call the police department’s non-emergency number at 918-338-4001. Callers will be asked to provide their name, current location, and destination, and an officer will be dispatched to give them a ride home.
“The idea is to keep the public safe,” Neal said. “There’s no tricks, there’s no gimmick. We just want to get people home safely so they can enjoy their night and not regret anything the next day.”
Neal says the department has seen strong participation in past years and wants residents to know the program is not a trap.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Neal said. “We’re not trying to trick people — it’s simply a ride home.”
Both agencies say impaired driving carries serious consequences — from legal and financial trouble to injuries or loss of life — and they urge everyone celebrating to plan ahead.
“Have a good time, but do it responsibly,” Neal said. “Use the tools that are being provided.”
