Arrests for impaired in Santa Clara County have so far declined
during the winter holiday season compared to the same time last
year, but police will remain out in force through New Years weekend
as part of the annual Avoid the 13 crackdown on drinking and
driving.
Arrests for impaired in Santa Clara County have so far declined during the winter holiday season compared to the same time last year, but police will remain out in force through New Years weekend as part of the annual Avoid the 13 crackdown on drinking and driving.
Last weekend, from Thursday night until Sunday morning, police from 14 law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County arrested 131 people on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Rick Sung. The three-day period marks the first weekend of the Avoid the 13 winter holiday campaign.
During the same weekend in 2009, police arrested 167 DUI suspects, Sung said.
Among those arrested last weekend are 11 suspects booked by Morgan Hill police on suspicion of impaired driving, Morgan Hill police Sgt. Jerry Neumayer said. Local police also arrested two suspects with DUI warrants.
Law enforcement agencies will continue the Avoid the 13 campaign until after New Years by placing extra officers on the roads for “saturation patrols” and DUI and driver’s license checkpoints at key intersections, Sung said.
The campaign is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Sung said. On Thursday, Dec. 23, Morgan Hill Police will conduct a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint at an undisclosed location, from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The purpose of the campaign is to make the roadways safer by ensuring that motorists are in compliance with state vehicle laws. During the same 2.5-week winter holiday period last year, 36 people in California were killed in crashes involving impaired drivers, and 1,168 motorists and passengers were injured.
With many workplaces and families planning a series of parties throughout the winter holidays, police suggest motorists plan a sober way home before the festivities begin; designate a sober driver; and use a taxi or call a sober friend for a ride if they end up impaired.
