The Sacramento Police Department will join nearly 10,000 other law enforcement agencies nationwide in support of an intensive crackdown on impaired driving from August 19 thru September 5, known as "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over."

The crime of impaired driving is a serious one. In 2009 alone, 10,839 people died in crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21-to-24 age group.

The national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown is led by NHTSA with the California Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign combining high-visibility enforcement and heightened public awareness through publicity. For more information, visit the High-Visibility Enforcement Campaign Headquarters at www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

Statewide and local Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign Enforcement Schedules and Daily DUI Arrest/Fatal Stats, visit the www.californiaavoid.org.  The Program is funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety who reminds everyone to please - Report Drunk Driving - Call 9-1-1!

The Sacramento Police Department will be starting our "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign with a sobriety and driver's license checkpoint on Saturday, September 3, 2011, from 7:30 p.m. and lasting 5-7 hours, at 6100 Mack Road.  Traffic flowing through the checkpoint will be contacted by uniformed officers, who will be checking for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check to make sure all drivers have a valid driver's license.

During the campaign period, officers will conduct two other sobriety checkpoints as well as saturation patrols looking for impaired drivers.

Please direct any inquiries to Sergeant Chris Prince at (916) 808-6069. Media is encouraged to attend the checkpoints in an effort to spread awareness about the impacts of drinking and driving.