[Martinez, CA] – From mid-August through the Labor Day holiday weekend, law enforcement officials will be out in force as part of the annual nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown on drunk driving. The crackdown, which will take place throughout Contra Costa County, will run from August 16, 2013 through September 2, 2013.
The nationwide drunk driving crackdown will include high-visibility enforcement, high-profile events and education that will be supported by advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb drunk driving.
Plans are in place for a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint in the city of Lafayette on August 30, 2013, a multiagency strike team enforcement effort, numerous local roving anti-DUI saturation patrols and a DUI warrant/probation sweep. Although many motorists are aware that it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, far too many people across the nation get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. The latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscore the serious nature of the nation’s continuing drunk driving epidemic.
“Every year, about one third of all motor vehicle traffic deaths involve one or more drunk drivers or motorcycle operators,” said Assistant Sheriff Elise Warren of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff. “In 2011, nearly 10,000 people died in crashes involving drunk drivers across the nation. That works out to approximately one drunk driving fatality every 53 minutes. In California, 774 people died due to the crime of impaired driving.”
During the Labor Day weekend in 2011, a total of 138 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving drivers or motorcycle riders with a .08% BAC or higher. Of those fatalities, 83 percent occurred during early evening and overnight, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. In California, 11 people were killed during the holiday weekend involving a driver at a .08% BAC or higher.
Drunk driving takes a particularly heavy toll among young drivers. Among 18-34 year old drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the 2011 Labor Day weekend, 42 percent were alcohol-impaired.
“Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign reduces drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. By joining this nationwide effort, we will make California’s roadways safer for everyone throughout the Labor Day period,” said Director Chris Murphy, California Office of Traffic Safety.
“We want to remind everyone that getting behind the wheel while drunk is a terrible idea. Unfortunately, not only does drinking impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely, it also impairs your judgment and good sense about whether you can, or should drive. If you have any doubt about your sobriety, do not get behind the wheel. If you do chose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses,” Assistant Sheriff Warren said.
Being arrested for driving drunk can be costly. Drunk drivers face jail time, loss of their driver license, and steep financial consequences such as higher insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job.
For more information, visit the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign Headquarters at www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov. The Contra Costa County Avoid the 25 Anti-DUI Task Force funding is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reminds everyone: Report Drunk Drivers – Call 9-1-1.
