Heads up to holiday party-goers: To help save lives this holiday season, local law enforcement agencies and the California Highway Patrol are launching a special “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown.
The Imperial County DUI Avoid the 8 Task Force will be looking for impaired drivers and will arrest anyone caught driving under the influence.
The CHP deployed all available officers over Christmas weekend and will do so again New Year’s Eve weekend for two maximum-enforcement periods. The special enforcement crackdown will run through Monday.
“Lots of people will be out during this busy holiday season, enjoying themselves and the holiday festivities, and we want everyone to be safe on our roadways.” said El Centro Police Department Executive Commander Eddie Madueño. “That’s why we will be stepping up enforcement to catch and arrest impaired drivers. Please be forewarned. If you are caught driving impaired, you will be arrested.”
Violators face jail time, loss of driver’s license, and financial consequences such as higher insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs and lost time at work.
In December 2010, 30 percent of all fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involved alcohol-impaired drivers. Data also show that among those alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities, 71 percent occurred when drivers had nearly twice the legal limit blood alcohol concentration.
Moreover, in 2010 more than 10,000 people were killed nationwide in vehicle traffic crashes involving an impaired driver. In California, 791 people died while seven individuals were killed in Imperial County.
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