KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - On New Year's Eve, the Seattle Police Department will have twice the number of officers assigned to seek and arrest intoxicated drivers as on a normal night. Fourteen officers will be assigned to the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) squad on the evening of December 31, as opposed to seven on a normal night.

"Drunk driving crashes are not accidents," remarked Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "These crashes are completely preventable. The increase in officers supports our goal of no drunk driving crashes in King County this New Year's holiday."

There have been six alcohol-related automobile crashes so far this holiday season.

Increased police activity translates directly into increased stops and arrests of drivers. On December 17, twenty extra police officers patrolled King County streets under a coordinated, multi-jurisdictional emphasis patrol called the "Night of 1000 Stars." The emphasis patrol was designed to raise awareness about drinking and driving and let citizens know that officers will be especially vigilant this holiday season. The twenty extra officers alone cited 15 people for DUI and stopped over 200 people for other traffic violations such as speeding and not wearing seat belts.

The King County Traffic Safety Coalition (KCTSC) and Washington Traffic Safety Commission sponsored the "Night of 1000 Stars" patrol along with community traffic safety task forces throughout Washington. The KCTSC is chaired by Public Health - Seattle and King County and is comprised of local law enforcement agencies (King County Sheriff's Office, the Washington State Patrol, and the Police Departments of Seattle, Shoreline, SeaTac, Kent, and Federal Way), health educators, epidemiologists, the liquor industry, the Washington State Liquor Control Board, DUI victims' groups, and traffic engineers.