The California Office of Traffic Safety along with its partners, CalTrans, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control are launching a major public awareness campaign, Report Drunk Drivers, to combat drunk driving.

In 2005, 1,574 people were killed and more than 30,000 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes. This represents an almost eight percent increase in fatalities from 2004 in which 1,462 people were killed. In addition, nearly 200,000 people were arrested for driving under the influence. Nationally, there is an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 31 minutes.

Of the 1,574 people killed in alcohol-involved crashes in California in 2005, 998 fatalities occurred on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, representing approximately 63 percent.

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Of the 30,810 people injured in alcohol involved crashes the same year, approximately 61 percent occurred on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The Report Drunk Drivers campaign encourages drivers to call 911 if they witness an erratic driver. The dispatcher will then immediately send a law enforcement officer out to the scene to prevent any accident and tragedy from occurring.