Community: Avoid the 23 San Mateo County DUI Task Force Joins National Crackdown to Reduce Drunk Driving Fatalities
“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Will Target Drunk Drivers
[Daly City, CA] – From mid-August through Labor Day, the police, sheriff and CHP 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 include high-visibility enforcement throughout San Mateo County, runs from August 16 through September 2, 2013.
The effective nationwide drunk driving crackdown will include high-visibility enforcement, high-profile events, and will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb drunk driving in August and through the Labor Day holiday weekend.
Avoid the 23 Coordinator Diane McCarthy from the Daly City Police Department said the Avoid the 23 DUI Task Force will be aggressively looking for drunk drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone caught driving drunk. Plans are in place for two DUI/Drivers License Checkpoints, a Multi-Agency Strike Team, eight local roving DUI Saturation Patrols, and a DUI Warrant/Probation sting. (**See attached Schedule of Operations for the 18 Day Mobilization for dates and city locations)
Although it is illegal with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or higher, far too many people across the nation get behind the wheel after consuming too much 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 McCarthy. “In 2011, 9,878 people died in crashes involving drunk drivers. That is approximately one drunk driving fatality every 53 minutes. In California, 774 died due to the crime of impaired driving.”
Long weekends, such as the Labor Day holiday are particularly dangerous. During the Labor Day weekend in 2011, a total of 138 people were killed 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 to 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 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 choose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses,” Avoid the 23 Coordinator McCarthy said.
Being arrested for driving drunk brings a wide range of negative consequences into one’s life. Drunk drivers face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, and steep financial consequences such as higher insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators also often face tremendous personal embarrassment.
“Driving drunk is simply not worth the risk. So don’t take the chance. Remember, we will be out in force and we will be watching, so ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,’” said Avoid the 23 Coordinator McCarthy.
For more information, visit the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Headquarters at www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov
Avoid the 23 DUI Task Force funding is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who reminds everyone; Report Drunk Drivers! – Call 9-1-1. SAN MATEO COUNTY AUGUST/LABOR DAY HOLIDAY ENFORCEMENT SCHEDULE The following schedule of operations, dates, and locations are provided for media release. Not all police departments have provided their information of their activities as of the date of this release. Fri, August 17th, DUI TASKFORCE OPERATION, 1800-0200 hrs, Entire San Mateo County Fri, August 17th, DUI/DL CHECKPOINT, 1800-0100 hrs, City of Redwood City (Mini Grant Checkpoint) Sat, August 18th, DUI/DL CHECKPOINT, 1980-0200 hrs, City of Burlingame Sun, August 18th, WARRANT/PROBATION SWEEP, Entire San Mateo County Sun, August 18th, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of Hillsborough Fri, August 24th, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of San Bruno Sun, August 25th, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of South San Francisco Sun, August 25th, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of Foster City Mon, August 26th, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of Daly City Fri, August 30th, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of Atherton Sat, August 31st, DUI/DL CHECKPOINT, 1800-0200 hrs, City of Broadmoor Sat, August 31st, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of Atherton Sat, August 31st, DUI/DL CHECKPOINT, 1800-0100 hrs, City of Redwood City (Mini Grant Checkpoint) TBD, DUI Saturation Patrol, 1800-0200 hrs, City of Redwood City |