The state is stepping up its efforts to stop drunk
drivers.
[view:node_ad=5]Throughout the holiday season motorists may have noticed an
increase in police patrols as well as the number of Driving Under the Influence
check points.
This increased effort is part of California’s Holiday DUI Crackdown Campaign.
Over the holiday season the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s
department reported 18 DUI arrests and the CHP reported 19 arrests between
December 31 and January 4. The total
numbers for the state have not been tallied but the Sheriffs are pleased with
the results so far.
The campaign was a joint effort of law enforcement across
the state to detur potential drunk drivers, as well as remove drunk and unlicensed
drivers off the road.
“The DUI check points are an educational tool to let people
know that drunk driving is illegal and that law enforcement is out there
looking for drunk drivers,” said Sgt. Richard Cohen of the Sheriff’s
department.
California
has seen positive results from such programs; there was an 8.6 percent drop in
alcohol related fatalities in 2007 according to the Sheriff’s Department.