Santa Ana, Calif.—The Christmas and New Year’s holidays are ways to spend time with family and friends ringing in another year, but also a time when people can make poor choices that put themselves and others at risk on the road.
To help spread the message about the dangers of drunk and drugged driving, Santa Ana Police Department is partnering with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to get impaired drivers off roads.
During the high-visibility enforcement campaign Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, which runs from Dec. 14-Jan. 1, Santa Ana Police Department will have more officers on the road conducting saturation patrols looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Santa Ana Police Department also reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” Marijuana, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
During the 2017 Christmas (Dec. 22-25) and New Year’s (Dec. 30-Jan. 2) holiday periods, 25 people were killed and 643 injured on California roads, according to data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS).
“Drunk driving continues to be a huge problem in this country, and more recently, marijuana and drug-impaired driving,” Chief of Police David Valentin. “People are out and about shopping for the holidays and going to or hosting parties, so it is important that everyone acts responsibly behind the wheel.”
