Last modified Wed., September 20, 2006 - 04:44 PM
Originally created Thursday, September 21, 2006

Kings Bay cracks down

Security gets tough on Sailors who drink and drive

By MC2(SW) Michael Wiss, Periscope staff

NSB Kings Bay Security Patrolman Hector Torruella gives HT1(SW) Bill Kolp of the Naval Ambulatory Care Center a breathalizer test. During a three-week period leading up to Labor Day Weekend, NSB Kings Bay Security stopped approximately 1,800 cars at various sobriety checkpoints resulting in nine arrests for driving under the influence.
Photo by MC2(SW) Michael Wiss

During a three-week period leading up to Labor Day Weekend NSB Kings Bay Security stopped approximately 1,800 cars at various sobriety checkpoints on base resulting in nine arrests for driving under the influence. A security official said the message that drinking and driving is not only illegal, it's deadly, was heard loud and clear, but there are still some concerns.

''Our goal is to have no drunk driving offenses and make sure people know that if they are drinking they need to have a designated driver,'' said NSB Kings Bay Security Operations Officer H.R. Bud Lett. ''It is a person's freedom and choice to drink alcohol, but it is not their right to drink and get behind the wheel.''

The Driving over the Limit under Arrest program is a comprehensive impaired driving prevention method organized by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration focusing on combining high visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness.

The good news according to Lett, was 83 of the vehicles stopped had designated drivers. In addition, one arrest was made for underage drinking and two arrests for driving with suspended licenses were made.

Before the holiday, all Kings Bay military and civilian personnel attended a safety stand down in which risk management and the dangers of drunk driving were discussed. According to Lett, some of those in attendance failed to get the message and are paying the price for their stupidity. He added there are many options available to Sailors and Marines to avoid drinking and driving.

''We are shooting for people to have designated drivers. If not, call the command to pick them up and no questions are asked,'' he stated. ''I don't know of one command that will not transport one of their Sailors home to keep them from drinking and driving.''

Security will continue to perform weekend sobriety checkpoints, because according to Lett, if people don't learn, it is their job to enforce the drinking and driving message.

''I don't care if we checked 10,000 cars and only had one DUI, that is unacceptable,'' he said. ''For what ever reason the nine DUI violators did not get the message. They are dangerous weapons on the highway.''

The ultimate goal is to have zero DUIs. Whether that will happen is up to the individual and security personnel said Lett.

''A drunk driving charge can end your career, cost you a lot of money and is just not worth it,'' he said. ''It does not only affect you when you drink and drive. You are putting every other driver at risk. If you were in an accident that cost someone else's life, you would have to live with that guilt the rest of your life.''