The Eddy County Commission has proclaimed Nov. 16-21 as DWI Awareness Week in the county.
The Eddy County DWI Program is joining counties throughout New Mexico in recognizing the week and highlighting its services, which include public awareness and education activities as well as offender programs.
Providing a comprehensive, integrated, multifaceted, needs-based approach to the complex issue of impaired driving, the Eddy County DWI Program began serving all of Eddy County in 1994.
Offenders working on the Roadway Cleanup Community Service Program remove 1,000 pounds of trash per week from the county’s streets and highways as part of court-ordered community service by underage drinking offenders.
Education-based programming is also a large part of DWI prevention and includes educating beginning drivers in drivers’ education programs on the dangers they face from impaired drivers. The Minors Possessing Alcohol Corrective Thinking Academy (MPACT) works to reduce alcohol and other drug use by minors along with future incidents of DWI through education. A monthly victim impact and education program is also provided. Highly visible public information and awareness messages are geared toward reminding the public of the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.
Through the DWI Memorial Sign Program, many signs along highways in the county display pictures of people killed by impaired drivers and stand as a stark reminder of the high cost of DWI. The program partners with all law enforcement agencies where zero tolerance is applied by officers when they visually detect a possibly impaired driver. The program also provides funding for officer overtime and supplies equipment to detect and deter underage drinking and DWI.
The Eddy County DWI Program encourages community involvement in the effort to stop DWI and save lives. Citizens can be a part of the solution by making the decision to plan in advance if they plan to drink alcohol. Designate a driver and call for a safe ride home.
Motorists are also asked to join the fight by calling 911 if they spot an impaired driver. Try to provide a description of the vehicle, a license plate number if possible, the location, and the direction of travel.
For more information on the Eddy County DWI Program, call 628-5430, 234-9963 or 575-885-3328.