Myrtle Beach police fight drunk driving with new initiative

Myrtle Beach police have issued a public service announcement in the form a new vehicle.

The vehicle is a typical Myrtle Beach police car in the front, with a light blue hood and the words “Police” across the sides. The back half of the vehicle is taxi cab yellow with checker print and the word “Taxi” along the side. Together the words form “Police Taxi,” a metaphor people who choose to drive drunk.

The car also displays the words “Sober or Slammer,” “Choose your ride,” and “The choice is yours,” suggesting that if people choose to drive drunk then they will have a ride to jail.

At the same time, the car encourages people who go out drinking to have a plan on how to get back home, according to Lt. Joey Crosby of the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

Crosby said that having a plan in place such as a friend lined up, a designated driver, or calling a taxi are all simple solutions to avoid driving drunk.

Officers plan to drive to car around the Myrtle Beach, use it at events where drinking takes place, and at DUI checkpoints to get the word out.

This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach police fight drunk driving with new initiative."