Law enforcement agencies statewide, including in Clark County, will have extra patrols on the road through the holiday season to look for impaired drivers.
In Clark County, the Battle Ground, La Center, Ridgefield, Vancouver and Washougal police departments, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the local Washington State Patrol will participate in the extra patrols, which are paid for by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
The extra patrols will run from Thursday to New Year’s Day.
“We are alarmed at recent increases in traffic deaths involving DUI, especially among drivers who test positive for two or more drugs, or both alcohol and drugs,” traffic safety commission Director Darrin Grondel said in a news release.
An impaired driver was involved in 234 of 2015’s 516 fatal crashes, according to the traffic safety commission. Those crashes killed 268 people.
Officials urged motorists with holiday plans to include a safe and sober ride home.
