DUI Enforcement Operations Planned This Weekend
On Halloween, and Every Day, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
Halloween is a time for making memories, not causing nightmares. This weekend, the Newport Beach Police Department is reminding Halloween partiers that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving and DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze. Stay safe – and help other stay safe – by refraining from impaired driving. During Halloween celebrations in 2015, there were 55 people killed nationwide in drunk-driving-related crashes, and still more were killed by drug-impaired drivers. If your Halloween celebration involves alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs, it’s imperative that you make a plan to get home without getting behind the wheel.
Newport Beach Police Officers will be deploying this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers in our ongoing efforts to stop drunk driving and help save lives. Although there are presumptive legal limits for blood-alcohol content (.08% for those over the age of 21, .01% for those under the age of 21), officers are able to use their training and field tests to determine driver impairment even below these levels. Driving while under the influence of drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs, is a rising cause of collisions; with marijuana use now legal, these factors are becoming a significant factor in deaths and injuries on California roadways. Everyone should be mindful that while taking medications (whether prescription, over-the-counter, or marijuana), drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment effects.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in recent years, 45% of all fatal motor vehicle collisions on Halloween night involved at least one alcohol-impaired driver. Children and parents out trick-or-treating are also at risk, as 36% of all fatal pedestrian collisions on Halloween night involve drunk drivers.
This Halloween, and every day, drivers need to remember that it is never ok to drive while impaired by alcohol, marijuana, medication, or illicit drugs. Designate a sober driver, or plan to use ride-sharing or public transportation to get home safely. Consider using the California Office of Traffic Safety’s DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile app, which is available for free download on iOS and Android devices. The app helps designated sober drivers find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives (from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more). Those who have been drinking can use the app to contact Uber, Lyft, or Curb to get a sober ride home.
Funding for this DUI operation is provided to Newport Beach 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’.
