Oakland, CA – This holiday season, the Oakland Police Department will work
around the clock to keep drivers and passengers safe as they search for impaired
drivers.
Starting December 15, 2017 through January 1, 2018, law enforcement is
partnering with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a special year-end Drive
Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization to get impaired drivers off the
street and to spread the word about this dangerous crime.
As part of the holiday enforcement campaign period, police, sheriff, and the CHP
will be deploying DUI Checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols during the
upcoming 18-day DUI crackdown throughout the region. OPD is conducting a
DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint on December 15, 2017, as well as roving DUI
Saturation Patrols during this period.
“This holiday season, drivers will notice increased enforcement watching closely
for anyone who is driving impaired,” said Lieutenant David Elzey, Oakland Police
Department Traffic Operations Section Commander. “It is vital that we keep our
roads and our travelers safe, not just at the holidays, but every day. With extra
travelers on the roads, and people attending holiday parties, we will likely see an
uptick in drunk driving. We’ll be arresting anyone we catch breaking this lifesaving
law.”
Driving under the influence of alcohol can have deadly, devastating consequences.
Nationally in 2016, 37,461 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes, and
28 percent (10,497) died in crashes where a driver had a blood alcohol
concentration (BAC) over the limit of .08. California reported 1,059 DUI deaths at
.08 or above.
In recent years, California has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes.
OPD supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate
all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs,
particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you
might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana use can also be impairing,
especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.
“Two simple words can keep your holiday festivities safe – plan ahead,” said OTS
Director Rhonda Craft. “Before you head out to any celebration, plan how you are
getting home safely. If you are drinking, that means knowing what sober driver or
service will be using.”
Drivers are encouraged to download the Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” free
mobile app for Android or iPhone. The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and
restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free
non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more.
Funding for these DUI operations is provided to the Oakland Police Department by
a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call
9-1-1’.
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