According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reports that on average, more than 10,000 people lose their lives on our nation’s roads in accidents that somehow involve an intoxicated driver.
While this figure has declined somewhat in recent years, the number of Americans killed by drunk drivers is unacceptable by any standard.
During the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and other surrounding law enforcement agencies are planning to increase saturation patrols, DUI checkpoints and increase the number of officers and deputies on duty for the upcoming Labor Day weekends. These patrols will likely begin in the early evening on Friday, September 2, until after midnight on Monday, September 5.
Many motorists take to our state’s roadways to enjoy one last road trip or long weekend celebration that marks the official end of summer. Officers and deputies will be on the lookout for motorists who show signs of impairment by either alcohol, drugs, or both.
Officials remind the public that a DUI arrest does not just apply to those who choose to drink and drive. Intoxication can occur under the influence of marijuana, prescription, and over-the-counter drugs. If convicted of a DUI charge, it can cost on average $13,500 in fines and court costs and the loss of their driver’s license.
Police, the CHP, and sheriff’s deputies often establish checkpoints at intersections or stretches of roads, which have shown to have increased the number of crashes or DUI arrests.
Each year, the NHTSA sponsors its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The federal agency and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) award grants to our state law enforcement agencies to ensure public safety and keep intoxicated drivers off the road.
