Holiday traffic safety

On behalf of all the women and men of your local Ohio State Highway Patrol Post, I am glad to write this column and wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season.

This year we are pleased to be partnering with MADD, the Ohio Department of Public Safety, local law enforcement officers and so many great organizations focused on the safety of Ohioans.

Through the years, we have accomplished a great deal in drawing attention to the dangerous crime of impaired driving. Thanks in large part to the commitment of the people and organizations that make up our community safety net, I am proud to say we continue to a make a difference by improving the quality of life for people, families and businesses in our area.

As we look forward to the final weeks of this year and the upcoming holiday period, I urge motorists to use common sense and make conscientious decisions when it comes to traffic safety.

We need each person’s help by actively influencing friends and family to make the safe, responsible decisions that save lives.

Simple things like planning ahead to designate a driver if you choose to consume alcohol, and insisting that everyone in the vehicle is buckled up before you leave, can go a long way toward ensuring tragedies do not occur.

The decisions you make have consequences, and my message to all motorists and visitors to our area this holiday season is to take responsibility for yourselves and others by setting a good example, ensuring that alcohol and driving don’t mix, and spreading the buckle up message.

The state troopers and staff of your local Ohio State Highway Patrol post wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. As always, please remember to continue using (877) 7-PATROL to report dangerous drivers, stranded motorists, or to report impaired drivers. For more information about highway safety during the holidays, please visit our Web site www.statepatrol.ohio.gov.

Lt. Dick Grau

Gallia-Meigs Post

Ohio State Highway Patrol