Police Step Up Highway Patrols For Holiday

BOSTON -- State and local officials gathered Wednesday in South Boston to urge motorists to drive safe this holiday weekend and to raise awareness about the dangers of operating under the influence.

Officers were joined by representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and a couple, whose unborn daughter was killed when their car was hit by a drunken driver in 2005.

Victims Of Drunken Driver Speak Out

"We were just happy and driving home, enjoying a nice day. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a car crossing the median," Brian Blongastainer said. "Seeing an ultrasound of my daughter, Holly, and seeing that she had no heartbeat, then having to look at Heidi and tell her. Holding Holly and knowing this was the only 45 minutes I would ever be able to spend with her. Crying uncontrollably to the point where Holly's clothes were getting wet, but being happy that my tears were falling on her, because this may be a chance to have a piece of me with her forever."

"Losing a child, you never get over it," said Heidi Blongastainer, who was 37 weeks pregnant at the time of the crash. "Although our story is very difficult to talk about, I think it is a powerful one, and I think the perfect place to share it."

The event was part of the Commonwealth's "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest" mobilization, which began Aug. 13 and runs through Sept. 3.

Extra traffic enforcement will be conducted by the Massachusetts State Police and more than 240 local law enforcement agencies. State police alone are rolling an additional 210 patrols, above and beyond their regular patrols.

"We are days away from the Labor Day holiday and all the barbeques, beach outings and road trips that get squeezed into summer's waning days," said Col. Mark. F. Delaney, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. "These days carry with them numerous opportunities to consume alcohol. We want people to enjoy themselves, but we want them, as they do so, to be smart, safe and -- if they are driving -- absolutely sober."

There were 174 alcohol-related fatalities in Massachusetts in 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Delaney said the number of drunk driving arrests made by state police has increased steadily over the last few years. In 2005, state police arrested 2,869 drunken drivers. In 2006, state police made 3,860 OUI arrests, and in 2007, they made 4,879 OUI arrests.

By Aug. 18 of this year, Delaney said, state police had made 3,194 drunken driving arrests, slightly more than they had by that date last year.

"The most recent statistics show that one out of every three people knows someone that has been killed or injured by a drunk driver," said David DeIuliis, communications director of MADD's Massachusetts chapter. "We and the police share a common goal of eliminating drunk driving and appreciate these latest efforts in that fight."