San Rafael Saturation Patrol Set For Friday

SAN RAFAEL, CA – Starting with this Friday, the San Rafael Police Department is holding saturation patrols to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers throughout December.

The first of three such patrols is scheduled for Friday Dec. 16, followed by two more saturation patrols on Friday, Dec. 23 and Friday, Dec. 30. They will take place between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. in areas that will give officers the best chance to deter drunk and drugged driving.

In a statement, police said that high visibility enforcement through both sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols has proven to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related collisions, injuries and deaths.

“Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized proactive DUI operations are conducted routinely,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, in California, alcohol-involved collisions led to 1,155 deaths and nearly 24,000 injuries in 2014. In the past three years, San Rafael police officers have investigated 208 DUI collisions, which have claimed three lives and resulted in another 42 injuries.

Police said they will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment.

Drivers are encouraged to designate a driver, use alternative methods of transportation and download the Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” a free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for designated sober drivers.

A DUI arrest can include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

The San Rafael Police Department’s campaign was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reminds people to report suspected drunk driving by calling 911.

Image via Shutterstock