illSouth San Francisco, CA June 28, 2016 Submitted by SSFPD 
This Fourth of July, There’s No Excuse “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” by South San Francisco Police Department
Every year Ame1icans head out on our nation’s highways to celebrate the Fourth of July at picnics, parties, parades and more. Unfortunately for many, the celebration frequently includes drinking alcohol, which too often leads to drunk driving on one of the most heavily traveled holidays of the year.
From 2010-2014, 39 percent of all traffic fatalities over the Fourth of July period occurred in alcohol impaired d1iving crashes. There were 397 people killed nationally in motor vehicle crashes in 2014 over the Fourth of July holiday. Of those fatalities, 41 percent were killed in crashes involving a d1iver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In California during the holiday, an average of 6 people are killed and 1 10 are seriousl y injured each year.
This Fourth of July, The South San Francisco Police Department will be out in full force, cracking down on drunk drivers by aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger. In addition to routine staffing, extra officers will staff a DUI Checkpoint <or>DUI Saturation Patrols over the three day weekend.
“Please don ‘t put yourselves and others in jeopardy by drinking and driving. We will be actively looking for impaired drivers,” said Police Chief Jeff Azzopardi “The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving -no excuses.”
The consequences of drunk driving are that serious. Not only are impaired drivers putting their lives and the lives of others at risk, but a DUI arrest means a loss of freedom and money . That can include going to jail, losing a driver license, and paying steep financial costs of $l 0,000 or more.
The South San Francisco Police Department recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving.
- Plan a safe way home before the fun
- Before drinking, designate a sober
- DDVIP: The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP mobile app is available for free download on iOS and Android The DDVIP app allows 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 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.
- DRUGS, MEDICATION & ALCOHOL= CRASHES: Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active dri vers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair d ri ving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 4 percent, slightly more than alcohol.
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don ‘t hesitate -“Report Drunk Drivers! Call 91 1 !”
- If you know someone who is about to drive or ride whi1e impaired, take your friend ‘s keys and help your friend make other arrangements to get to where he or she is going
Funding for the extra DU I enforcement operations is a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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AAA’s Tipsy Tow Program offers a free tow for drinking drivers in Northern California from 6 pm on most major holidays until 6 am the next morning, in Northern California, Nevada and Utah. And you don’t even have to be a AAA member.
For Tipsy Tow, call (800) 222-4357 (AAA-HELP) and tell the operator, “I need a Tipsy Tow” for a free tow of up to 10 miles. Service is restricted to a one-way ride for the driver and his or her vehicle to the driver’s home.