And every month we do it. It's our
Racine County staying safe
program from the Racine County
Traffic Safety Commission. I want
to thank Tom Knitter for putting
this together for us and he does
a good job. And today, Sergeant
Mike Tronjo, did I say it right?
Mike, you go. I only every word
you have to say. That's close
there. Sergeant Mike Tronjo.
Correct. Now, I haven't
rehearsed it yet. I'm going to
do it. And every month we do it.
Mike Tronjo. Correct. Now, I've
been rehearsing that for about 20
minutes. Spot on. Spot on. And I
asked him how many times a day
do you have to either spell it
for somebody or tell him how to
pronounce it? I've lost track of
this point in my life, but it's
It's into the seven digits already.
How many times we don't do that
anymore? So how long? You know,
you're with Caledonia PD. That is
correct. How long you've been there?
Coming up on 12 years. 12 years.
What made you? There were two jobs
which I don't want for sure. Fire
fire fire fire fire fire fire.
I don't want to run into a burning
house. And also police work because
I don't want to deal with first
why don't like dealing with the
public, especially bad people in
public. So I don't want to deal
with that. What makes you want to
go into a police work? Well,
growing up, I had a father who was
both a firefighter and a police
software. Both jobs. I hate you.
So I chose one and I'm I wouldn't
have it any other way. Well, good
for you. And I'm glad to have people
here. Now I want to let a police
videos. And I don't like when they
start belittling people, but the
especially police officers. Now
there are people that maybe you're
maybe deserve a little belittling.
But for the most part, they just
come across as just arrogant when you
get stopped. You have to show your
license, your registration, and
your insurance. And there's always
a story attached why they don't have
them. Yeah, I mean, you got to take
each case center, you know, its own
basis. And, you know, generally most
of the people that we deal with though,
especially in in Caledonia are very, very
kind people. So we're very blessed to have
that going on for us. This is the first
time in my entire life of driving. I've been
driving since I'm 17. I actually took
my registration and shrunk it down.
So it's not puffing out my wallet
because it's, you know, big. I shrunk it
down just a little bit. And I said,
yeah, then what fits in your wallet? It's
not as puffy. I mean, I love that. So
anyway, we're here to talk about drinking
today. Two things you shouldn't do.
And people do it all the time. And it's
just, it just had one beer. Well, for a
lot of people, one beer will do it. Like I'm
a little woozy. And you on the road,
you're taking lives if you have an accident.
It's bad enough when you're coherent
and you're, you know, your mind is clear.
But when you're drinking and driving,
I just don't get it. And you see it all
the time. We do. You know, and with the
surveillance of rideshare programs that
have, you know, come along over the years,
it is still amazing to see how many
drunk driving arrests we still make
with all those rideshare services available for people.
And that's it. Yeah, it's so easy to call
an Uber today. I mean, it's not like a cab
where you can't find one. Oh, there's
an Uber's everywhere. Just call one.
They'll drive you home. You pick up your
car the next day. Wherever you have it.
Or the bar or restaurant or whatever.
I was going to always just be there. Just tell
the restaurant person. All right. Let's
talk about that. And you know,
a third of all drunk driving convictions
are repeat offenders and you see
the soul of the time. Third
conviction. Fourth conviction. I was
telling you off the air. Sixth
conviction for somebody. I know.
Sixth. How does that happen? Why
is that person at what you don't know?
That person should be locked away after
the first few because you're a
danger. And by the way,
the person they kill on the road might
have had a 12th offense was the highest
that I've seen in my time.
Convictions for drunk driving of the
state of Wisconsin in the last few
years 23,931.
That's half a stadium.
Yeah, it's not shocking.
We make a lot of vote of the IRS
in the Racine County area.
So that's surprising. Think of
Amfam field crowded and take
half of that. And that's how many
people are convicted for drunk
driving. That's a lot of people. That is
a staggering amount. And they know it's wrong. But every
thing. So when they drink, well, I'm okay.
I don't, you know, it's I'm not. I know
what I'm doing. You don't know what you're doing. If you knew what
you're doing, this wouldn't be a problem.
Well, I think it comes back to the problem of,
you know, you do it once and you don't get caught
and it just becomes that the cyclical thing
where why didn't you caught last time?
I won't get caught next time the next time the next time
and it just becomes that mentality of, you know,
I didn't get in trouble before. So chances are I'm
going to be okay again. Alcohol-related
crashes killed 190 people and injured nearly
800 in the last few years. 190 people were killed
because somebody was drinking. I mean,
that's a preventable death. Cancer's
unpreventable accidents. This is not an accident.
You're drinking and driving. It wasn't. It's not an accident.
I mean, you didn't plan it.
But it was preventable.
They're 100% preventable.
33.7% of all fatal crashes are alcohol-related.
That means out of every three crashes one was
driving. Whoa.
And 41.3% of all fatal motorcycle crashes
were alcohol-related. I can't believe you would get on a motorcycle.
I didn't even balance the motorcycle if you're
I imagine not well. We do see a lot of those in the
warmer months though. Let me just remind everybody
we're looking at the the poster for December.
It's it's available online. It was seen county.
If you go to Google, it's the best way to do it.
We're seeing county slash staying safe.
Just put that in the Google and just see all the posters
click on them that we've been doing for the last year or so.
Actually two years.
And they're all there, including the one this month.
Here's the biggest thing.
When you sober up, it's going to be decision.
You regret for the rest of your life.
Because once you kill somebody,
it's prison.
And it may be just a few years.
Maybe life. Who knows?
Dupt of a judge and jury.
It is even the incidence that don't involve injury
to somebody else.
The monetary amount that somebody is out
Teftar after no WI conviction.
It is a pretty staggering number.
And I can't imagine anybody would want to repeat
that process again, but some still do.
We say this over and over. Once you're arrested,
you lose your license and you're fined.
Repeat drunk drivers face imprisonment.
If you heard a kill someone of the crash,
you could face serious charges like negligent homicide
or operating while intoxicated.
That's a OWI causing injury.
And I've seen so many of these cases.
You see them in the news.
You see them on these reality shows.
The person's crying. I'm so sorry.
The sorry's aren't going to bring back their loved ones.
And sometimes you might wipe out of the entire family.
And these head-on crests.
We just crossed the line and you kill them all.
I mean, you can stuff your sorry's in a sack.
It doesn't matter anymore.
Yeah, most of these things, yes.
Like you mentioned, they're good people.
You know, they just make very bad decisions
that have just dire consequences
for the rest of their lives.
You know, they didn't set out to hurt anybody.
They set out to have a good time.
And one bad decision led to the rest of their life
just being in turmoil.
And bars can stop.
They cannot serve you if they feel you're a little tipsy.
They do reserve that right, correct?
Yeah, they can stop serving you.
And then it starts another thing.
Because when you drunk you get belligerent
and you start trouble.
Here's something I never understood.
You get thrown off the airplanes if you're drunk.
You get on the plane you can drink.
It doesn't make sense.
If you don't want people to stop serving them alcohol
in the airport before they get on the plane and stop.
Because that's the only place you can get it
is you can bring it as security.
So they have these bars and you can drink, drink, drink.
Then you get on the plane and they throw you off
because you were drinking.
Stop serving alcohol at the airport.
And stop serving alcohol when you get on the plane.
So that's a solution.
Or people just, you know, be responsible
but most of them are.
You don't get to get the one off.
It's time for our staying safe.
We do this in coordination with the
Racine County Traffic Safety Commission.
And today we're talking about drunk driving
Sergeant Mike Tronjo.
I hate it.
I hate what I can't pronounce it.
Sergeant Mike Tronjo is here from Caledonia Police.
And they were talking about drunk driving obviously
just a quick review here.
One third of all drunk drivers.
This is repeat for them.
And you were telling me the first one in Wisconsin,
the first DWI or OW.
Is there a difference?
DUI and OWI?
No, it's just a different way of saying it.
The first one's not a criminal offense.
How is that?
I know you're not a judge.
You don't set the laws.
You just, you just enforce them.
That is correct.
Unless there's some aggravating circumstances like
child in the car or if you injure somebody,
then it becomes criminal.
I can't imagine drunk driving with a child in the car.
One third of all drunk driving convictions or repeat offenders.
And if you think, well,
what if one or two people die?
No, alcohol-related crashes killed 190 people
injured nearly 2800 in the last few years.
That's just in Wisconsin.
Could you imagine the numbers nationwide?
And don't just think, well, it's just a couple.
What if that couple was your family?
To them, it might as well be a million people at that point.
All right.
We talked about this is entirely preventable.
A sober designated driver.
And I have seen this before.
We have a comedy bit about it.
Where they're going out and they said,
let's find a friend who doesn't drink.
And they said, come on, we're going out for a great night.
We're going to have fun.
You sit here and don't drink.
And you'll be the driver.
Some people do that.
Some people use the ride shares.
The tavern league.
Yes, right.
The state-fried program.
There's plenty of options out there for people to not skip
behind the wheel intoxicated.
There's an Uber driver that will gladly take you home.
And then the next day, when you're all sobered up, pick up the car.
Absolutely.
It is entirely preventable.
And if you're feeling buzzed, you're likely over the 0.08 limit.
And should not drive.
Rather than risking a rest or crash,
take mass transit to taxi cab, sober ride,
or sober friend, or an Uber.
I remember before, Uber's just had to find a cab.
Now, everyone's a cab driver.
They are.
I don't know if we have any cabs still operating around here, do we?
I don't know.
I haven't seen any.
I haven't taken one ever.
I don't drink.
So I don't know.
I don't take them.
And the best part is,
save a life.
Don't let your friends drive drunk.
Some taverns in restaurants.
We talked about there.
Have programs to provide patrons with a safe ride home.
You can go to www.tlw.org.
It's a, he doubled him trying to think about it.
Tavern League of Wisconsin.
Yeah, that would be it, wouldn't it?
See, that's what you're here.
To make me sound smart.
Okay, and report impaired drivers to law enforcement or call 911.
Did somebody swirping from lane to lane all over the road?
It could be a medical emergency.
I mean, it could be somebody who's having a medical problem and a drunk.
But still, you want to get him off the road.
Medical emergency or drunk driving.
The results could be the same.
Absolutely.
So we do make, are the result of citizens calling in, you know,
that erratic driving behavior.
So we are appreciative of citizens being on the lookout beyond just our,
our officers looking for impaired drivers.
I got pulled over once.
And they want to know if I was drinking.
And it was during,
I was real cold and the,
the interstate.
And I was late at night three in the morning.
I was coming home from somewhere.
And my car, I could feel as accelerate and I could feel the wheel slipping on it.
And I said, I'm going to go slow.
And they pulled me over.
I even been drinking.
I said, no, I just feel my wheel slipping under the car when I accelerate.
Because there's like black ice all over the road.
I think so.
And that's what I thought.
And so that was that.
But at least, you know, they saw me slowing down and going up.
Sure.
And they just checked it out.
Both prescription and illegal drugs can impair your abilities and maybe just as dangerous as alcohol
when it comes to safety and judgment.
You know, when you're going to take the medication, that can cause problems in itself.
Alcohol on top of that.
Yeah, I think that's with some people.
I know they're aware of when they get the medication, the warnings that come with it.
But I think sometimes they lose track of that and have a couple alcoholic beverages.
And it just compounds the effects.
And sometimes has the same effects as the alcohol and the result is, you know,
they're not being safe to drive.
I mean, you get pulled over and the opposite step out of the car.
Don't be belligerent and say, well, yeah, just step just step out.
Don't add other charges like resisting and all that stuff on top of it is bad enough for your drinking and driving.
Don't add charges on top.
I am I don't think anybody in this country's got a driver's license because I watch these YouTube videos.
Nobody's got a driver's license.
They're suspended or they never had one.
I mean, I can't I can't tell you how many I see with people don't have a driver's license.
Are you running to that?
We do run into that.
And you know, I appreciate that, you know, some people they have to get to work, you know,
but at the end of the day, if you're not supposed to be driving, you shouldn't be behind the wheel.
Unbelievable.
All right.
One time, I'll tell you how nervous I am about this stuff.
I got my sticker for my license plate back out like a month in advance,
because I do it.
And I kind of forgot about it.
And the day after we were supposed to be on the car, I left it home.
And I start taking side roads to work all the back roads.
And nobody will see me with my, I said, gee, with what am I doing?
You know, I just forgot to do it because I got to the month in advance.
So anyway, so and this is a good month to bring this up because there's holiday parties.
People are drinking.
And if you're the host at a holiday party, I don't know.
Are they responsible for serving you on the hall?
I know bars could be, but I don't know how that works in Wisconsin.
I couldn't really speak on that.
There could be some civil implications, but legally, I don't know what kind of trouble they've been.
And you're not a, you're not a lawyer.
I understand that.
So here's the rule of thumb.
You're going to have a drink.
But if you just see yourself getting, feel yourself getting a little buzzed.
Stop.
And do you know how long it, where, how long it takes to wear off?
I don't know anything about drinking.
The average rate at which alcohol dissipates is about 0.015% per hour.
But that's person specific.
It could be higher.
It could be lower.
And if you're not eating it, it probably takes longer.
If you're eating it probably takes a quicker time.
Yeah, without food in your stomach, the alcohol effects are felt a lot quicker because your body doesn't have any food.
It doesn't have any food to kind of interrupt the process.
So yeah, much quicker onset of effects.
We can scream from the highest mountain tap.
Don't drink and drive.
And it doesn't matter because people still do it.
Because just just the way the humans are.
We think, oh, that's no problem for me.
I can, you know, I can take care of this.
No, you can't take care of it.
Okay.
This is from the Racine County Traffic Safety Commission.
Tom Knitter.
Thank you much for setting this up every month.
Sergeant Mike Tronjo.
Yes.
Now I finally got it.
Really?
Sergeant Mike Tronjo from Caledon, your PD.
I was telling my wife used to work for Caledon, your PD.
But she was in the old guard.
This is the new guard coming in.
I'm in about the mid guard right now.
We've got a very young department.
Much like many agencies across the state and the country for that matter.
But yeah, we've very young officers.
Something they're going to say.
Sergeant Mike Tronjo, yeah, I remember him.
The old guy.
Yeah.
Someday I will be that guy.
He's not there.
I think he's at the home now.
Thank you, Sergeant, for coming in.
Thanks for having me.
And please be careful out there.
A lot of nuts on the road.
You know, and there's a lot of people that you walk up to a car.
You never know what's going to happen.
Absolutely.
I appreciate that.
And thank you for coming to my friend.
A job you do.
Thank you very much.