Four law enforcement agencies in Clallam County  will be conducting special impaired  driving emphasis patrols during the weekend of March 15-17 as part of a statewide effort  to reduce deaths and crashes caused by impaired drivers. Participating agencies include:  Washington State Patrol, Port Angeles Police Department, Sequim Police Department,  and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department. The special patrols are funded by a grant  from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission as part of the Target Zero Program,  which aims to eliminate all traffic deaths in our state by the year 2030.

Law enforcement will be looking for signs of unsafe driving, including speeding, erratic  lane travel, failure to obey traffic lights and signs, following too closely, using a cell  phone while driving, and not wearing a seat belt. A conviction for Driving Under the  Influence can result in a jail sentence, fines up to $5,000, suspension or revocation of  your driver’s license, court costs, attorney fees, attendance at the DUI Victims Panel and  Traffic School, increase in insurance rates, towing/impound fees, and other costs. Clallam County has seen a significant decrease in traffic deaths over the past several  years. There has been just one death so far this year and just two during 2012. All three of those deaths could have been avoided if the drivers had been following traffic laws.  People are reminded to drive sober, obey the speed limit, drive defensively and buckle  up.