State makes more than 2,700 DWI arrests during crackdown

More than 2,700 North Carolina motorists were arrested for driving while impaired during the state's 18-day crackdown on drunken driving, officials reported Wednesday.

The state's "Booze It & Lose It" campaign, which ran Aug. 17 to Sept. 3, included more than 7,800 sobriety checkpoints with dedicated patrols to target drunken and dangerous drivers.

A total of 94,125 traffic and criminal citations were issued, along with 2,745 citations for driving while impaired.

“These numbers show that law enforcement officers across the state worked diligently to make North Carolina’s roads safer during this campaign,” state Secretary of Transportation Gene Conti said in a statement.

Wake County had the highest number of DWI citations with 209, followed by Mecklenburg County with 182 and Guilford County with 106.

Find county-by-county results on the state Department of Transportation website.

Officers also issued 6,691 safety belt and 1,172 child passenger safety violations, 24,553 speeding violations and 2,718 drug charges.

In addition, 2,028 people with outstanding warrants were nabbed, and officers recovered 135 stolen vehicles.

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Gotta love the "DWI Exception" to the 4th Amendment...- chivegas

Or at the airport, when entering a government building, when crossing the border, if you happen to be 'suspected' of being a "threat to the state." But you are worried about getting drunk???? BTW, how does a police officer noticing signs of intoxication violate the 4th amendment again? Hearing slurred speech and smelling beer are not exactly "searches!"

WooHoo2You
September 12, 2012 7:12 p.m.

I find it rely objective that the booze it and loose it campaign ended in the state the day before the democrats took over charlotte nc. I can promise you that had that had been the REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION they would've had been writing tickets faster than they ever had due to the fact that the dems in the state house are hoping to retain it and can't run on anything other than the fact that they've done none nothing except make this the biggest MAYBERRY RFD IN HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

okemooutlaw44
September 12, 2012 7:09 p.m.

94,000 citations x court costs (something like $120 in wake county now, i think) = $11.28 million. anyone who thinks this wasn't a shakedown/ cash grab isn't paying attention.- monkeyboy

Well don't break the law and you won't get 'shook-down.' BTW, not all tickets are as high as 120 dollars ya know....

WooHoo2You
September 12, 2012 7:07 p.m.

NO excuse for drunk driving, period. Immaturity and stupidness.

Just Plain Common Sense
September 12, 2012 7:06 p.m.

These checkpoints got a lot of other truly bad guys - drunks (regardless of your opinion, most people at .08 have a significant impairment and the fact that a texter or inattentive driver is unsafe also is pretty much beside the point), fugitives, people wanted on other charges, drug dealers, in addition to recovering stolen cars. Fines go to the schools, court costs go to the courts. Nothing goes to the towns or law enforcement agencies. The complaints sound much like sour grapes from someone who has been arrested or worries about getting arrested in the future. Drunk drivers are a very real hazard to the public and account for a large number of injuries and fatalities.

miseem
September 12, 2012 7:01 p.m.