SDPD Plans Labor Day Weekend DUI Checkpoints

The San Diego Police Department released the following announcement about DUI checkpoints scheduled for the three-day Labor Day weekend:

If you drink and drive in San Diego, beware – the San Diego Police Department is joining with law enforcement throughout the state for the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign to be conducted between August 17 and September 3, 2012.  DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints are scheduled for Friday, August 31, 2012 and Saturday, September 1 2012 at undisclosed locations within the city limit beginning at 9:00 p.m. A third partnership checkpoint will be held on Monday, September 3, 2012 and will begin at 4:00 p.m.

The crime of impaired driving is a serious one. In 2010 alone, 791 people died in California in crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit of presumptive intoxication.  The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21to24 age group.

 “On average, there is one alcohol-impaired driving-related fatality every 51 minutes across America.  But this tragic loss of life can be reduced if we get impaired drivers off our roadways,” said Officer Mark McCullough.  “Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement, like the 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign, reduces alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20%.  By joining this statewide effort, we will make San Diego’s roadways safer for everyone throughout the Labor Day holiday.”

 San Diego County’s “Avoid The 14” Task Force will also deploy DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints, Multi-agency DUI Task Force operations and local roving DUI patrols during the 18 day Summer/Labor Day Campaign.

 “Obviously we want to remind everyone that it is illegal to drive while impaired, and we hope the campaign will remind people that if they plan on drinking, to never get behind the wheel,” said Officer McCullough.  “But if someone does choose to drive impaired, we will arrest them. No warnings. No excuses.” 

According to San Diego PD, violators will face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Their insurance rates go up and other financial burdens include attorney fees, court costs, time lost from work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.

This operation is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reminds everyone to Report Drunk Driving – Call 9-1-1!