WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: MHP Cracking Down on Drunken Driving

MHP Cracking Down on Drunken Driving

By Jon Kalahar
jkalahar@wlbt.net

Wanting to limit the number of fatal car crashes and specifically alcohol related fatalities, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety is starting a campaign to warn drivers against driving under the influence. And if you don't want to listen, troopers say you're next stop is jail.

The important number to remember is 345.

That's how many people died in Mississippi last year  in alcohol related accidents. And for one mother, a drunk driver changed her life and that of her son's forever.

"He was gonna have dreams, they were taken by a man who didn't think before he drank," said Rene Bower, mother of drunk driving victim.

Renee Bower was told by doctors her son, Richard had traumatic brain damage after the car he was riding in was struck by a drunk driver.

"He was in a coma for a year, what they call a semi-vegetative state for another year. He woke up after two and a half years on Mother's day and said mom for the first time," said Bower.

Richard is just re-learning to walk and is still speech impaired. He's an example of why the state department of public safety is ramping up efforts to stop drunk drivers.

"Over the limit under arrest."

The highway patrol will continue this campaign on tv, radio and billboards. But they say with the help of increase funding from the state legislature, 164 more troopers will be on the roads compared to last year.

"And if you don't believe in presence and numbers you can look at last year, what we've been able to accomplish with that money and those people and the drastic decline in DUIs and fatalities," said Colonel Michael Berthay of the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

But troopers will do more than sit on the side of the road during the holiday season.

"Clearly visibility and saturation is an important deterrent but they'll also be detecting impaired drivers and making arrests," said Commissioner Stephen Simpson of the Department of Public Safety.

Public Safety is starting this initiative now to coincide with students going back to college and the leading into the labor day weekend.

But Commissioner Stephen Simpson said expect this increased law enforcement presence to continue through Christmas and New Year's.