DUI Checkpoints & Crime on the Road, Sobriety Checkpoints

Public Asked to Call 911 to Report Suspected Drunk Drivers

Beginning December 12, 2008, the 11 law enforcement agencies within Tulare County will participate in the ‘AVOID the 11’ program as part of California’s Holiday DUI Enforcement Campaign, encouraging the public to call 911 to report suspected drunk drivers.

As part of the regional AVOID program, we will be conducting various enforcement efforts such as sobriety checkpoints, task force, operations, local saturation patrols, warrant/probation sweeps, etc. to help make our holiday commutes safer, and deter people from driving while impaired.

On Saturday December 13, 2008 the Visalia Police Department will be conducting a sobriety/drivers license checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the city limits.

2007 marks the first year since 1998 in which alcohol-related fatalities have declined in California. Fatalities dropped 6.7 percent between 2006 and 2007.

“California has worked very hard over the past five years to reverse the trend in of increasing alcohol-related traffic fatalities,” said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy. “Through an aggressive combination of sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and greater vigilance on the part of the public by calling 911 when they see a drunk driver, we’re getting these dangerous drivers off the road.”

The following clues can help motorists detect a drunk driver:

• Weaving/swerving in and out of the lane

• Weaving within the lane quite noticeably

• Traveling at speeds much slower than the flow of traffic

• Braking erratically or stopping in the lane

• Sudden stops for signal lights and slow start once they change

• Remaining at the signal lights once they turn green – asleep at the wheel

• Making wide turns and/or cutting the corner, striking the curb

• Headlights off at night or on high beams

• Driving with the turn signals on

• Straddling the center line of the road or lane lines

• The Driver looks intoxicated – starring straight ahead, face close to the windshield, and appears to
by quite sleepy…

• Finally Aggressive Driving – speed, tailgating and multiple lane changes or unsafe passing may also
be the tell-tale signs of intoxication

We need the public’s help to find impaired drivers and get them off the roads promptly, and encourage citizens to contact 911 should they observe a suspected impaired driver.

In 2007*, 1,491 people were killed and 30,642 injured in alcohol-related crashes in California, compared to 1,597 fatalities and 31,099 injuries in 2006. Growth of the California AVOID Program, including the California Highway Patrol and more than 450 local law enforcement agencies, has contributed to the reduction in deaths and injuries. As of 2008, 98 percent of the state’s population is covered by the regional enforcement efforts.

The OTS, through NHTSA, has allocated $6.5 million to fund AVOID Programs in 41 counties.

California’s effort coincides with the national “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” campaign taking part across the country. Grant funding for the regional AVOID Program includes officer overtime for sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols and is provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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