NEWS RELEASE
For
Immediate Release
October 27, 2015
Contact: Sgt. Kollin Cieadlo –
626-574-5475
DUI
Enforcement Operations Planned this Weekend
Arcadia,
CA - Officers from the Arcadia Police Department’s Traffic Bureau will be
deploying this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in
the Department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on October
30, 2015 between the hours of 7:00 PM and 3:00 AM in areas with high frequencies
of DUI collisions and/or arrests.
In
California, this deadly crime led to 867 deaths and over 23,000 serious
injuries in 2013 because someone failed to designate a sober driver. Nationally, the latest data shows over 10,000
were killed by an impaired driver. Over the course of the past three years
officers have investigated 119 DUI collisions which has resulted in 76 people
being injured.
Recent
statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more
drugs in their systems. A study of
active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving
(14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent,
at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol. Everyone should be mindful that if
you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking
even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment
affects.
Law Enforcement emphasizes 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 DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile
app is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched
last year, the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a
Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in
their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants
throughout California. Users will be offered free incentives at each bar to
celebrate their life saving role. They
can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are
saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe
but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride
from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen.
The
cost of a ride home is cheap, nothing compared to a $10,000 DUI conviction and
the ‘inconvenience’ of not driving your own car home is nothing compared to the
inconvenience of spending time behind bars.
Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the
Arcadia Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic
Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding
everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.
Robert T. Guthrie
Chief of Police
By: Kollin Cieadlo
Traffic Sergeant
Don’t
forget to visit the Arcadia Police Department News & Information Blog or
follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Nixle for other pertinent news and
information. Remember, the solution
begins with you!
