OUI Arrests Increasing in Foxborough

Foxborough police had their 50th "Operating under the Influence" (OUI) arrest in the last week, a number that is as many as they had in 2010. The department is also reporting that they are over 400 protective custodies so far for the year. On Saturday night alone, August 13, Foxborough police took in eleven alcohol impaired people.

In communities across the United States, drinking and driving has been a problem for decades. Law enforcement and various non-profit organizations, such as MADD and SADD, have strived to solve the problem. Locally, the SAFE Foxboro Coalition's mission "is to reduce youth substance abuse through a collaborative community effort that mobilizes resources and empowers Foxborough youth to make healthy decisions." The SAFE Foxboro Coalition consists of multiple sectors of the community working together towards developing strategies to reduce the abuse of alcohol and other drugs including businesses, the YMCA, parents, media, law enforcement, schools, faith organizations, health providers, social service agencies, and the government.

However, drinking and driving statistics show that only the surface has been scratched on solving this widespread problem. According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, in 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.

What will it take to lower these numbers and or come close to eliminating the problem? Tell us in the comments or email Courtney.Jansson@patch.com.