Be aware of aggressive and drunk drivers.

[view:node_ad=5] The holiday season, with its celebrations, parties, shopping
and traveling to friends and family, puts more motorists in harm’s way of more
potential impaired drivers.

 

On Friday night, the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s station joined
law enforcement across the state as part of California Holiday DUI Crackdown
Campaign, as well as encouraging the public to call 911 to report suspected
drunk drivers. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the state Office
of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

2007 marked the first year since 1998 in which
alcohol-related fatalities declined in California,
dropping 8/3 percent.

 

“California
has worked very hard of the past five years to reverse the trend of increasing
alcohol-related traffic fatalities,” said OTS Director Christopher Murphy. “Through
an aggressive combination of various anti-DUI operations, including sobriety
checkpoints, together with the public calling 911 when they see a drunk driver,
we’re getting these dangerous drivers off the road.”

 

All too often, local residents are senselessly injured or
killed on the roadway by impaired drivers. DUI/Drivers License checkpoints
attempt to reduce the tragedies, as well as insure that drivers have a valid
license.

 

The public is also encouraged to call 911 to report drunk
drivers and be ready to describe the vehicle, its location and direction of
travel. The following clue can help motorists detect a drunk driver:

 

• Weaving/swerving in and out of the lane
• Weaving noticeably within the lane
• Traveling at speeds much slower than the flow of traffic
• Braking erratically or stopping in the lane
• Sudden stops for signal lights and slow start once they
  change
• Remaining at the signal lights once they turn green – asleep
  at the wheel
• Making wide turns and/or cutting the corner, striking the
  curb
• Headlights off at night or on high beams
• Driving with the turn signals on
• Straddling the center line of the road or lane lines
• Driver looks intoxicated, staring straight ahead, face close
  to the windshield, appearing to be quite sleepy
• Aggressive driving – speed, tailgating and multiple lane
  changes or unsafe passing may also be telltale signs of intoxication.