Albany Police Conducting DUI Enforcement This Week

Albany Police officials say drivers have the power to stop drunk-driving fatalities. Officers will be helping send that message to the community this week with extra enforcement.

Albany Police released the following details about the special enforcement this week:

Officers from the Albany Police Department will be deploying to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in our ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI saturation patrols will deploy on Friday, June 19 in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests.

Nationally, in 2012 there were 802 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, compared to 774 in 2011. In addition to the pain and suffering of those immediately affected, DUI also impacts the economy. Conservatively, a fatality has a $1.4 million impact, an injury $70,000, and a crash that only damages property approximately $9,000.

An average DUI costs $10,000. Violators can also face jail time, the loss of a driver’s license, lost wages and many other expenses such as attorney fees, court costs, higher insurance rates, car towing and repair fees.

Drunk-driving fatalities continue to happen year after year. Let’s work to stop the cycle by:

• Making a plan to get home safely before going somewhere
• Serving non-alcoholic drinks at parties
• Calling the police if you see someone driving drunk

Funding for this program comes from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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