DUI Checkpoints & Crime on the Road, Sobriety Checkpoints

RPD Press Announcement: The Avoid the 30 DUI Coalition Warning Motorists to Beware

The Avoid the 30 DUI Coalition Warning Motorists to Beware:

Drunk Driving Will Not Be Tolerated! Don’t Let Halloween Turn into a Horror Story

Riverside, CA — Halloween is a much-loved fall tradition that is enjoyed by people of all ages. But irresponsible celebrating can quickly spoil all of the fun. That is why Avoid the 30 Riverside County, law enforcement partners from the each of the area police departments, the Sheriff and CHP are cracking down on drunk drivers with an aggressive DUI enforcement effort.

“With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, we want to make sure revelers aren’t taking the party to the roadways, putting trick-or-treaters and responsible motorists at risk,” said Riverside Police Chief Russ Leach.  “Law enforcement officers throughout the region will be out in full force arresting and removing drunk drivers from our roads.”

Halloween is a particularly deadly night due to drunk drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, 58 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 pm Oct. 31 to 5:59 am Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In California, 462 individuals have been killed or injured in Alcohol Involved Collision during the past 5 Halloween nights – 2004-2008.

“One foolish decision can turn a fun Halloween into a real-life horror story,” said Moreno Valley Police Chief John Anderson. “There are simple precautions partygoers can take such as designating a sober driver in advance or taking a taxi.”The Avoid the 30 Riverside County will be deploying additional DUI patrols on overtime beginning at 6:00 P.M. with funding for this program from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic afety Administration. Additionally, every traffic and patrol officer working this weekend will be focusing on removing impaired drivers before they crash.

The Avoid the 30 Riverside County DUI Coalition also recommends these simple tips:

Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin, please designate a sober driver\
If you’re ‘Buzzed’ – impaired, and haven’t designated a sober driver, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely
If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact law enforcement; ‘ Report Drunk Drivers – Call 9-1-1’

For more information, please visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org or www.avoidthe30.org
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Contact: Karen Haverkamp, Traffic Bureau Administrative Supervisor
Phone: (951) 353-7980
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