Drunken Driving Crackdown Starts in Walnut Creek, Other Cities Friday

Starting Friday night, you should be especially careful about driving after having that extra beer, glass of wine or martini when you go out to eat at friends' or party at bars. That's because, over the next 18 days, all 25 law enforcement agencies throughout the county will be working together to look out for and arrest people for driving under the influence.

The Avoid the 25 Anti-DUI campaign will also be holding DUI and driver's license checkpoints. One is scheduled for Walnut Creek on Friday. The campaign goes through Sept. 6.

These end-of-summer campaigns have helped significantly decrease the number of alcohol-related fatalities and injuries throughout California, according to a press release issued by the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department and the AVOID Anti-DUI Program.

Combined deaths and injuries in 2007 were 1,780, dropping to 1,682 in 2008. Provisional 2009 data show that the numbers have dropped again, to 1,317, a 26 percent decrease injust three years. Most recent national figures show that 32 percent of fatalities in motor vehicle crashes involve a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or above. 

"All too often, innocent, law-abiding people suffer tragic consequences and the loss of loved ones due to this careless disregard for human life," said Christopher Murphy, director of the California Office of Traffic Safety, which provides funding to local law enforcement to carry out these crackdowns. "Because of the commitment to end the carnage, police, sheriffs and CHP are intensifying enforcement during the crackdown. They'll be especially vigilant during high-risk night-time hours when impaired drivers are most likely to be on our roads."

In addition to the checkpoints, a task force, made up of local city and CHP officers and Contra Costa Sheriff's deputies will focus on looking for intoxicated drivers along Interstate 680. They will also set up roving DUI saturation patrols throughout the county, and conduct sweeps, looking for repeat offenders wanted on outstanding warrants.

The national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown is led by NHTSA and the California Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign. 

For more information on local and statewide Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign Enforcement Schedules and on daily DUI arrests and fatalities, visit www.californiaavoid.org.

The Avoid DUI program was launched in 1973 and receives grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. These grants allow counties to add overtime hours, reassign officers, and conduct public awareness campaigns during the increased enforcement periods.