Drivers who plan to drink on New Year’s Eve urged to plan ahead

MOSES LAKE — One of the many traditions of the holiday season is ringing in the New Year. The key to truly enjoying the ringing-in thing is making it convivial, not one of those occasions that’s remembered for going horribly wrong – that night, for instance, that somebody got arrested for driving while under the influence of intoxicants.  

Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said the GCSO plans to have increased patrols over the New Year holiday.  

Under Washington law, an adult is under the influence if an analysis of their breath or blood shows an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher, or a THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) concentration of 0.5 or higher. It’s a DUI if those concentrations are found in a driver’s blood within two hours after being behind the wheel. 

The regulations are different for minors (under 21 years of age) or people driving a commercial vehicle, according to the Washington State Patrol. Drivers of a commercial vehicle are DUI if they have a BAC of 0.04 or higher. For minors (drivers less than 21 years of age) it’s a BAC of 0.02.  

People who want to celebrate New Year’s Eve but not get a DUI are advised to plan ahead – in fact, every year the word goes out about designated drivers, moderation, and celebrating responsibly. Captain Jeff Sursely of the Moses Lake Police Department said it seems that a lot of people pay attention.  

“The major holidays are probably the lowest (in DUI citations) for us. Because people plan big holidays,” he said. 

Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said all the advance warning seems to pay off. 

“I do think education helps. I think that when you’re putting education out there, people will hopefully think twice about (driving impaired), or at least people around them will help them not make that choice,” Wagner said. 

Sursely said more people are cited for DUI when they have an unexpected celebration, an impromptu invitation to watch a sports event being one example.  

“We tend to see more DUIs when people don’t plan their outings,” Sursely said. 

Kriete said holiday celebrations bring more impaired driving, but that a lot of people do act responsibly. A lot of people do plan ahead – just not as many as he’d like, Kriete said. 

“There are still a lot of responsible people out there that do it the right way,” he said.  

According to the Washington Department of Licensing, somebody who’s been arrested for DUI has his or her license suspended unless they request a hearing to contest it within seven days of arrest. The hearing examiner also must decide in the applicant’s favor.  

If the driver loses one or the other the license is suspended for 90 days to two years. Suspension begins 30 days after the arrest. 

Drivers who’ve been convicted of DUI in court can have their license suspended for 90 days to two years. The length of the suspension depends on prior offenses and the circumstances of the incident, according to the DOL website. The suspension begins 45 days after the DOL is notified of the conviction. 

In most cases, a DUI is a misdemeanor, but it can be a felony if the driver is a juvenile or has three or more prior offenses within the previous 10 years. 

    Having a few drinks with friends to celebrate the incoming new year is fine, but law enforcement asks that those who celebrate make sure they have a plan to get home safely without driving under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicant.