Edwardsville Police Chief Keeven Explains the Ease of not Drinking and Driving

EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville plans to use $40,000 from years of DUI arrests to help fund some new police cars.

However, Edwardsville Police Chief Jay Keeven would rather not have to have those funds coming into city coffers.

Keeven said when officers are working shifts and see cars in the parking lots overnight they view that as a good thing because they know those people didn’t drink and drive.

“There is no reason to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking,” Keeven said. “Not long ago, we posted on the Edwardsville Police page a photo in the downtown parking lot of 20 cars overnight. Those 20 people made a good choice.”

The average cost of a DUI includes the following fees: cost of hiring an attorney, those convicted face court costs which average out to $3,600. This includes fines of up to $2,500 for first-time offenders, $750 in court fees, $250 in towing and law enforcement reimbursements, and $100 to a trauma center fund.

Keeven said the financial impact of a DUI arrest is enormous overall.

“The financial impact includes whether you give up work time, the impact with you with your job and car insurance definitely goes up and more,” Keeven said. “Plan on taking Lyft or Uber if you plan to drink heavily or getting a ride from someone else. Do not drink and drive.”

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