If you’re enjoying the holidays with a drink, the Sacramento County AVOID the 13 law enforcement agencies have a message for you: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Due to the increase in drunk-driving-related fatalities around the holidays each year, law enforcement agencies across America will be actively searching for and arresting drunk drivers from Friday, December 18, 2015 to Sunday, January 3, 2016.

As part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign period, police, and sheriff’s departments, and the CHP will be deploying DUI Checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols during the upcoming 17- day DUI Enforcement Campaign throughout the region.  Law enforcement in Sacramento County is conducting DUI/Driver License Checkpoints and DUI saturation Patrols (See attached schedule of operations).

There are 10,000 reasons to crackdown: in 2013, 10,076 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver. In December 2013 alone there were 733 people killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.  Twenty-three of those deaths occurred on Christmas Day. California was witness to 98 deaths and another 1,852 injured in alcohol-involved collisions in December 2013.

Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems.  A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent).  Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol. Everyone should be mindful that if you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment effects. 

Law enforcement emphasizes the preventable nature of drunk driving reminding everyone that all it takes is a little planning ahead. Designate a sober driver or call a cab. But whatever you do, don’t drink and drive. The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile app is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched last year, the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users will be offered free incentives at each bar to celebrate their life saving role.  They can stay up to date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen. 

Sacramento County DUI Coalition reminds everyone to follow these simple tips to stay safe:

·         Plan a safe way to get home before you attend the party. Alcohol impairs judgment, as well as reaction time. If you’re impaired you’re more likely to choose to drive drunk.

·         Designate a sober driver; take public transportation, a car service, or a call a sober friend or family member to get home.

·         Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.

·         If you see someone you think is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them get home safely.

If you’re caught drinking and driving you could face jail time, fines, loss of driver license, towing fees, and other DUI expenses, totaling $10,000 on average. That’s not a small price, and that doesn’t even count the heftier price you could pay: the price of your life or someone else’s.

AVOID the 13 Sacramento County DUI Campaign Winter Holiday Mobilization Schedule of Operations

The Sacramento County DUI Coalition is announcing its upcoming enforcement operations for the Winter Holiday DUI Campaign.  The following schedule of operations, dates, and locations are provided for broadcast. 

Fri, Dec. 18, Know Your Limits DUI Educational Program 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., City of Folsom

Fri, Dec. 18, DUI/DL CHECKPOINT 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., City of Elk Grove        

Fri, Dec. 18, DUI Saturation Patrols 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., Cities of Sacramento and Citrus Heights

Sat, Dec. 19, Know Your Limits DUI Educational Program 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., City of Sacramento

Sat, Dec. 19, DUI/DL CHECKPOINTS, 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., Cities of Citrus Heights and Sacramento

Sat, Dec. 19, Saturation Task Force Operation, 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., City of Elk Grove,

Sat, Dec. 19, DUI Saturation Patrols, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., Cities of Sacramento, and Citrus Heights

Week of Dec. 20, Habitual DUI Offender Warrant/Probation Sweep

Wed, Dec. 22, DUI/DL CHECKPOINT 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., City of Elk Grove

Wed, Dec. 23, DUI Saturation Patrols, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., Cities of Elk Grove and Sacramento

Sat, Dec. 26, DUI Saturation Patrols, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., City of Sacramento

Wed, Dec. 30, DUI/DL CHECKPOINT, 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., City of Sacramento

Thu, Dec. 31, Know Your Limits DUI Educational Program 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m., City of Sacramento

Thu, Dec. 31, DUI Saturation Patrols, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., Cities of Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Folsom and Elk Grove

Fri, Jan. 2, DUI Saturation Patrols, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., City of Sacramento

Sat, Jan. 3, DUI Saturation Patrols, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., City of Sacramento

In addition to reminding all drivers to drive sober, Law Enforcement is calling on everyone to be alert and ‘Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911!  If you see a dangerous driver call immediately!  If someone you know is about to drive after drinking, take their keys and help them get home safely. We’ve got to work together to make our roads safer this December and year-round, Remember, driving after drinking should never be an option. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

The Avoid DUI Task Force holiday enforcement campaign is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Media Notes:  Reporters are invited to ride along with law enforcement or may join Task Force & checkpoint operations in your region throughout the Campaign by contacting Sergeant Chris Prince via email at cprince@pd.cityofsacramento.org or by telephone at (916) 808-6069. Media is encouraged to attend these events in an effort to spread awareness about the impacts of drinking and driving.