Newport Beach DUI Enforcement Thursday: Not Just For Booze, Cops Say

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Newport Beach police officers want to remind the public that Driving Under the Influence means more than just drinking and driving. On Thursday, June 22, the Newport Beach Police Department Traffic Division will conduct a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. police said.

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-related impaired driving crashes.

The Newport Beach Police Department supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”

"If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a warning about driving or operating machinery on the label, you might be impaired enough to be arrested for DUI," spokesperson Jennifer Manzella said. Marijuana can also be impairing (especially when used in combination with alcohol or other drugs) and can result in a DUI arrest.

The deterrent effect of High Visibility Enforcement using both DUI checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol- or drug-involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized DUI checkpoints and proactive DUI patrols are conducted routinely.

DUI Checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, affording the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Locations are also chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.

In California, alcohol-involved collisions led to 1,155 deaths and nearly 24,000 serious injuries in 2014 because someone failed to designate a sober driver. “Over the course of the past three years, the NBPD has investigated 210 DUI collisions which have claimed three lives and resulted in 304 injuries to our friends and neighbors,” said Sgt. Michael Schiavi.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing, delaying motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially-trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which now accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes.

Studies of California drivers have shown that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol. Everyone should be mindful that, if you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify impairment.

Law enforcement emphasizes the preventable nature of impaired driving. All it takes is a little planning ahead: designate a sober driver, take public transportation or a car service, or call a sober friend or family member to give you a ride home. But, whatever you do, don’t drive under the influence. One tool that can help is the California Officer of Traffic Safety’s Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more.

The feature-packed app even has social media tie-ins and even a tab for the non-DD to call Uber, Lyft or Curb.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000… not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to Your Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.