Omaha Wet Lab Demonstration (Ignition Interlock)
Smart Start will be participating in a Wet Lab demonstration put on to kick off the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" campaign. MADD will also be on hand promoting their "Tie One on for Safety" campaign. Smart Start is pleased and honored to be involved with such great organizations to try to prevent alcohol related crashes and fatalities. Smart Start of Nebraska will be on hand to demonstrate ignition interlocks and to answer questions about how this technology can prevent drinking and driving. If you are looking for additional information the official press release is listed below or you can contact me for additional info or questions.
On Thursday, December 4, 2008 several law enforcement agencies in the Omaha Metro area will be combining efforts with our partners in a demonstration and kickoff program for “You Drink, you drive, you lose” Impaired Driving crackdown for the Holidays. Officers from the Nebraska State Patrol, Sarpy and Douglas County Sheriff Departments, Bellevue, Papillion, and LaVista Police Departments will be conducting a “wet lab” operation to demonstrate to the public the impact a few drinks can have on their ability to drive through the use of a controlled drinking lab. Officers will also be working together (training) to identify impaired drivers at lower levels of blood alcohol. Several individuals will be utilized in the controlled environment increasing their blood alcohol content, allowing officers to test and demonstrate the effects of alcohol on the individuals. All of these tests will be controlled and the parties participating will be driven to and from the location and controlled during the impact stage of the alcohol.
The Wet Lab demonstration will take place at “Fire Guard” 4404 S. 76 th Circle, Omaha, Nebraska the operation will be from noon to approximately 5 PM with hopefully a live broadcast on the 5 PM evening news to illustrate to the public the dangers of drinking and driving.
A Press Conference will be held at the Fire Guard location at 3 PM with numerous law enforcement officials as well as representatives of M.A.D.D., The Nebraska Office of Highway Safety and victims and family members of drunken driving crashes. Please remember that family members suffer the loss every day and especially during the holiday season from the senseless act of a drunken or impaired driver.
The Nebraska Office of Highway Safety will be kicking off the “You drink, you drive, you lose” campaign with grants for extra officers throughout Nebraska for the safety of the public by removing impaired drivers. This campaign runs thru the holidays. M.A.D.D.(Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) will also be available with information on the “Tie One on for Safety” campaign. All of our partners will be joining us showing their support for our program.
The Nebraska State Patrol will also have the Roll over demonstration vehicle on location. The vehicle in which 4 Nebraskans traveling on vacation in New Mexico and were struck and killed by a repeat drunk driver will also be on display and family members present.
This year Nebraska Legislators passed LB 736, the Ignition interlock bill requiring all convicted drunk drivers to have a breath test instrument (ignition interlock) placed on their vehicles. This law goes into effect on January 1. We will also have two units installed on vehicles for demonstration with special emphasis being placed upon the participants in the wet lab after they have been drinking on attempting to start these cars. Our Thanks go to Smart Start Inc. and Jones automotive as well as special thanks to Fire Guard for making this project possible.
Call Lt. Russ Zeeb with any questions, 402-681-0929 or RZeeb@sarpy.com