NHP keeps watchful eye on the Fourth of July

The Nevada Highway Patrol will be increasing staffing levels on July 4th holiday with a larger contingency of troopers planned during the July 4th timeframe.

A portion of the additional staffing costs are being offset by a federally funded “Joining Forces” grant secured by the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety. Additional troopers will be assigned to saturate various highways in Northern Nevada looking for drivers who commit hazardous moving violations, speeding, and use of cell phones as well as identifying impaired drivers.

To add awareness and education to this effort, the NHP is planning and announcing a DUI checkpoint in the Lake Tahoe area for the evening of the Fourth. Several police officers, sheriff’s deputies and troopers from our local law enforcement agencies will be teaming up for this event. This checkpoint is also being funded by the “Joining Forces” grant.

In an effort to reduce our alcohol-related calls for service this holiday season, we are asking everyone to plan their festive celebrations safely and responsibly. If you plan on consuming any amount of alcohol, don’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle and drive. Plan ahead and identify a safe and sober person in advance to get you home safely; not the person in your group who has consumed the fewest drinks. If you see an impaired driver on the highway, please report it to us by dialing *NHP (*647) from your cell phone or (775) 687-0400. Those calls will be answered directly by one of our dispatchers in the Department of Public Safety-Communications Center.

Zero is our goal for statewide fatalities so let’s all work together and make it zero DUI arrests and zero DUI crashes this holiday season. Remember to be patient and courteous when driving and make our highways safe for all of us to travel on.

Trooper Talk is presented by the Nevada Highway Patrol, Fallon District Office.