DUI Saturation Patrol Announced In Concord

CONCORD, CA — Officers from the Concord Police Department will be out in force Friday night, looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. A DUI saturation patrol is scheduled to take place between 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22 and 3 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, Concord police Cpl. Kevin Mansourian said in a news release.

The following completes the Concord Police Department's news release announcing Friday's DUI crackdown:

DUI saturation patrols will take place in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests. In 2017, 1,120 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.

In recent years, California has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. Concord Police Department reminds 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 can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

Concord Police Department encourages drivers to follow these tips to avoid a DUI:

— Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.

— See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.

— Report drunk drivers – Call 911.

— Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who is drinking and how they are getting home?

Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the Concord Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.