The message from Morgan Hill Police during Super Bowl weekend is, “Drive sober or get pulled over,” as officers will conduct citywide DUI enforcement efforts during one of the nation’s favorite annual pastimes.
Officers who are “specifically trained in DUI recognition” will be deployed throughout the city during peak hours for the “greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for the community,” according to a press release from MHPD.
Police want those football fans who are thinking about driving after drinking alcohol can expect jail, license suspension, insurance increases, fines and fees—all of which can exceed $10,000 if arrested and convicted.
“Directed DUI enforcement is an effort to prevent and reduce DUI driving that often results in collisions that cause serious injury or death,” the press release continues.
Officers will also be checking motorists for proper licensing, police said.
Authorities hope the enforcement effort will have a deterrent effect on those who might otherwise consider driving drunk or drugged, and encourage revelers to use sober designated drivers during the Super Bowl weekend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this type of DUI enforcement efforts have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, and resulted in the decrease of injury/ fatal traffic collisions.
The Super Bowl weekend (Feb. 3-4) enforcement effort is part of the city’s recent implementation of the “Vision Zero” traffic safety program.
The NFL Super Bowl is scheduled for a 3:30pm kickoff Sunday, Feb. 4.
