Seatbelts and Cell Phones: Two Great Weapons in the Fight Against Impaired Drivers

Solvang - December 24th, 2008

 There was something weighing on Deputy Win Smith’s mind as he slid repeatedly on slippery leaves as he made his way up the poison-oak infested, muddy embankment of Alisal Rd. in Solvang during his investigation into the Sunday, Dec. 21, fatal crash.

Seatbelts.

They saved the lives of two passengers in the rollover accident, while 17-year-old Michael Ernest Moore died. He was not buckled in, and he was ejected.

“Seatbelts are your best defense against any crash, whether it is caused by a drunk driver or not,” he said. Smith coordinates Avoid the 12, Santa Barbara County’s cooperative crackdown on impaired drivers over the holiday season.

“Make it routine. Don’t put your key into the ignition without buckling up.”

Seatbelts can save you; you can save other drivers by using your cell phone to dial 911 and turn in dangerous drivers, he said. “If you see a car that’s all over the road, driving much too slow or much too fast or driving with its headlights off at night, let us know.”

DUI arrest are on target to reach last year’s total of 213, he said.

The CHP’s maximum enforcement period starts tonight and ends on Saturday night, with officers from the Santa Barbara, Buellton and Santa Maria area commands flooding the freeways until Saturday night.