If you live in San Luis Obispo or plan to visit the city over the holidays, beware — the police department will continue stepped up enforce against drunk driving, the department announced.
According to SLOPD Sgt. John Villanti, police “Will work around the clock to keep drivers and passengers safe, as they search for impaired drivers.”
Starting Dec. 15 through Jan. 1, “law enforcement is partnering with the California Office of Traffic Safety [OTS] and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] in a special year-end ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ enforcement mobilization to get impaired drivers off the street and to spread the word about this dangerous crime.”
Police, Sheriff’s deputies and the Highway Patrol will all have DUI checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols, “during the upcoming 18-day DUI crackdown throughout the region,” Sgt. Villanti said.
SLOPD conducted one checkpoint on Dec. 15 and will have DUI saturation patrols on Friday, Dec. 22.
“This holiday season,” Sgt. Vallenti said, “drivers will notice increased enforcement watching closely for anyone who is driving impaired. It is vital that we keep our roads and our traveler’s safe, not just during the holidays, but every day. With extra travelers on the roads, and people attending holiday parties, we will likely see an uptick in drunk driving. We’ll be arresting anyone we catch breaking this life-saving law.”
Nationally in 2016, 37,461 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes, according to Sgt. Vallenti, and 28 percent (10,497) died in crashes where a driver had a blood alcohol concentration over the limit of .08. California reported 1,059 DUI deaths at .08 or above.”
And DUI’s are not just for drinkers. “In recent years, California has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes.” Sgt. Vallenti said SLOPD “supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that ‘DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.’ If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI.
“Marijuana use can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.”
“Two simple words can keep your holiday festivities safe — plan ahead,” said OTS Director, Rhonda Craft. “Before you head out to any celebration, plan how you are getting home safely. If you are drinking, that means knowing what sober driver or service will be using.”
Drivers are encouraged to download the “Designated Driver VIP,” or “DDVIP,” free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more.
Stepped up patrols and checkpoint operations mean overtime for police, and funding is provided by a grant from the OTS, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
