Behind the Badge
Motorists in Fullerton who choose to break the law by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs stand a better chance of being caught through Labor Day.
The Fullerton PD, from Aug. 21 through Sept. 7, will be intensifying efforts to catch impaired motorists, part of a national effort to reduce the deadly toll of DUI crashes.
The FPD will be conducting roving DUI patrols on 10 different nights to find and arrest drivers impaired by alcohol and drugs, Sgt. Kathryn Hamel said.
In addition, the Fullerton PD Traffic Bureau will be conducting a DUI/driver’s license checkpoint on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015 at an undisclosed location between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.
The high-visibility campaign, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” is a partnership with the California Office of Traffic Safety.
In 2013, there were 10,076 people killed in drunk–driving crashes nationwide — almost a third of all traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.vIn California, 867 died in drunk-driving collisions, according to NHTSA.
Thirty-eight percent of crash fatalities on Labor Day weekend that year involved drunk drivers with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 percent or higher. More than a quarter (27 percent) of the crash fatalities that occurred on Labor Day weekend involved drivers with BACs of .15 or higher – almost twice the illegal limit.
Law enforcement authorities emphasize the preventable nature of drunk driving, reminding everyone that all it takes is a little planning ahead.
Designate a sober driver or call a cab.
But whatever you do, don’t drink and drive.
The California Office of Traffic Safety has a mobile app that offers incentives for designated drivers at local restaurants and bars.
With the prevalence of taxis and companies such as Uber, Lyft and Curb, finding a sober ride home is more convenient than ever, law enforcement agencies say.
