Full Notification

March 6, 2017, The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office has received two donations from area businesses to jumpstart their new anti-impaired driving educational program. According to the M.A.D.D. also known as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Indiana there were 178 drunk driving fatalities in the State of Indiana. These staggering numbers account for 22% of the total accidents in the State of Indiana. Even more staggering is that last year’s drunk driving fatalities have raised 11.3% over previous years. The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office approached Peabody Energy located at 6280 S 1025 East Oakland City, Indiana about their concerns of the rise of drinking and driving. Upon working together Peabody Energy donated six “Drunk Buster” Alcohol and Drug Simulation Goggles. Four of these donated goggles simulate impairment at various levels of intoxication go from .06 which is just below the legal limit all the way up to .35 which is over four times the legal limit. Also donated to the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office were a set of goggles that simulate drug impairment as well as a set of goggles that simulate cannabis impairment. With the generous donation of the goggles provided by Peabody Energy the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office was also provided with the free use of a golf cart by Gibson County’s own Cart’s Gone Wild located at 1141 Warrenton Rd, Haubstadt, IN 47639 to aid in the newly created anti impairment education program.

The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office is extremely grateful for the donations of the goggles and the use of carts, and hopes to reduce impaired driving in Gibson County through this new program. Currently the Sheriff’s Office is working on programs that can range in size from classrooms and/ or living rooms size all the way to large programs that could be presented in playground areas or large fields. Schools, Civic Groups, or other organizations are encouraged to contact Sergeant Bruce Vanoven of the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office to schedule a program.

Madd Statistic Reference: http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/state-stats/Indiana.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/