New Mexico: DWI programs are fired up to stop DWI drivers…or at least slow them down

Santa Fe County DWI think safe bus adSanta Fe County DWI Program Launches New Campaign, Think SaFe

Santa Fe, NM – July 3, 2014 – The Santa Fe County DWI Program just rolled out a new public awareness campaign, Think SaFe. The focus is to remind people not to drink and drive.  Think SaFe is a reminder for everybody to Think about SaFety and Santa Fe.  The message: Be smart. Drinking and driving is never good.  Ever.  The campaign focuses on feeling SaFe by reducing DWIs by 1.) Making a Plan 2.) Calling a Cab and 3.) Report a DWI if you see it. Take pride in our community and take your safety into your own hands.

The campaign features a bus and van wrapped with the Think SaFe colors and message, coasters and napkins in bars with the Cab Ride Home telephone number.  Bar tenders and servers are also getting in on the Think SaFe message and soon, will be wearing Think SaFe t-shirts.

“Our new message Think SaFe is an invitation to think about the ridiculously easy way to avoid drunk driving and an appeal to think about the consequences if you don’t. Think SaFe Santa Fe. Think before you drink and drive,” said Lupe Sanchez, Santa Fe County DWI Program Coordinator.

Be smart. Drinking and driving is never good. Ever.

For more information contact Peter Olson at 505-992-9844/ 505-629-9278 or polson@santafecountynm.gov.

FROM KOAT:

If a person is convicted of DWI in the county, that person must call into the DWI Program every morning during their probation. There’s a chance that person will have to submit to a random urine test.

Since mid-August, the program has done about 1,400 urine tests. Officials say 77 percent of those come back negative for drugs or alcohol.

“People are really paying attention to this program and it is changing behavior, in my opinion,” said Sanchez.

Available in Audible, paperback and Kindle. Click here to listen to free 5 min sample.

Of those 1,400 tests, Sanchez said about 160 of them have come back positive for drugs or alcohol. When that happens, the court is notified, and a judge hands down a punishment. Sanchez said offenders in some cases have been put in jail for 1-3 days.

Sanchez admits he thought they’d see a higher number of positive test results when they first started the program, but it’s encouraging that the numbers tell a different story.

“The program’s working well. We want to continue it, but like I said, we want to also have it evaluated to make sure we’re headed in the right direction,” said Sanchez.

He said the plan is to have an outside firm look at and evaluate the program. He also said he wants it to run for another year to gather more statistics. …more

Santa Fe County Sheriff Robert A. Garcia New Mexico