Ring in the New Year alive. Don’t drink and drive.
San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies and local law enforcement will have extra patrols on the roadways through New Year’s Eve to try to catch drunk drivers before they can cause any harm to themselves or others.
“Our goal is zero (for DUI arrests over the rest of the holidays),” said sheriff’s Lt. J.T. Faulkner, with the sheriff’s traffic unit.
Deputies are conducting DUI patrols and sobriety checkpoints in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which started on Dec. 13 and continues through Jan. 1. They are also part of the AVOID the 16 DUI Campaign and will be joining other local law enforcement in sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints throughout the county as well.
The following DUI operations will be taking place. Specific locations are not announced in advance.
- Dec. 27, DUI Saturation Patrol in San Diego
- Dec. 27, DUI and Driver’s License Checkpoint in National City
- Dec. 28, DUI Saturation Patrol in Encinitas
- Dec. 28, DUI and Driver’s License Checkpoint in Vista
- Dec. 29, DUI Checkpoint in Imperial Beach
- Dec. 31, DUI and Driver’s License Checkpoint in San Diego
- Dec. 31, DUI Saturation Patrols throughout San Diego County
“This holiday season, we will show zero tolerance for impaired drivers on the road. If you choose to drive drunk, we will be looking for you, we will stop you and you will be arrested,” said Sheriff Bill Gore.
Can you afford to be arrested, jailed and convicted for a DUI offense? The average cost for a DUI conviction is $15,649. The Sheriff’s Department wants residents to consider that cost before driving while impaired.
Enjoy the holidays and be safe in the New Year. Drinking responsibly means planning a safe way home in advance.
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to call 911.
Several companies offer sober ride options including:
- Tipsy Tow
- Be My Designated Driver
- Trolley
- Coaster
The AVOID patrols are made possible through grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
