DUI Checkpoints & Crime on the Road, Sobriety Checkpoints

DUI Deaths & Injuries show Dramatic 3 Year Drop – Law Enforcement Anti-DUI Efforts Continue

South Lake Tahoe, CA – The Avoid the 6 DUI Campaign will be deploying officers this holiday weekend at DUI/Drivers License Checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols to continue successful efforts towards arresting drunk drivers, lowering deaths and injuries, and educating the public about the dangers of impaired driving. As the summer season kicks off at the end of May holiday travelers, college graduates and communities enjoying local festivities are warned that driving drunk won’t be tolerated.

The Avoid DUI campaigns are proving successful. Memorial Day weekend alcohol involved deaths and injuries over the past three years have dropped dramatically by over 26% from Memorial Weekend 2007 to 2009.

Memorial Day weekend Alcohol Involved Killed and Injured data for California

2007———————–2008—————2009
Killed / Injured—–Killed / Injured—Killed / Injured
526————————-431—————-385

(2009 Data is Provisional)

The enforcement campaign begins Friday night with a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint in the city of Placerville. More local DUI Saturation Patrols will be out on Saturday and Sunday nights in the cities of South Lake Tahoe and Placerville. The California Highway Patrol is deploying 80 percent of all available officers Memorial Day weekend onto freeways and county roads in their jurisdiction.

“Police, Sheriff and CHP officers’ multi-year efforts to combat the crime of drunk driving is a large factor in reversing the trend of increasing deaths on California’s streets and highways,” said Chris Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “But I believe that every community member’s effort to get involved and reporting drunk drivers has helped save lives as well. If you see a drunk driver – don’t hesitate, call 911.”

In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported another significant annual decline in traffic deaths in California; traffic safety experts are hopeful to report similar declines in alcohol impaired deaths for 2009 within several months. Funding for the Avoid Campaign is through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CONTACT:

Sgt Shannon Laney
South Lake Tahoe PD
(530)542-6100
Slaney@cityofslt.us
For further information, contact:
www.californiaavoid.org

CALIFORNIA DRIVING LAWS