Morgan Hill Police Department Targets Impaired Drivers with DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint
Morgan Hill, CA – In conjunction with Avoid the 13, the Morgan Hill Police Department will be conducting a multi-agency DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, August 16, at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.
Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint and looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. They will also be checking to ensure drivers are properly licensed. DUI Checkpoints along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement serves as a proven deterrent with the goal of removing impaired drivers and heightened awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
In 2011, nearly 10,000 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher. In Californian, this deadly crime led to 774 deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver. The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21-to-24 age group.
The objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs: if you drive buzzed, drunk, or impaired by drugs you will go to jail. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.
Those arrested for DUI will face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Their insurance rates go up. Other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.
The checkpoint was funded by an Avoid the 13 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Please help Morgan Hill PD everyday of the week: Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911!
MEDIA NOTES: To schedule an interview regarding the Morgan Hill Police Department traffic safety operations, please contact Sgt Bill Norman at (408) 779-2101 or via email at [email protected]. To schedule an interview regarding impaired driving efforts and programs in California please contact Chris Cochran, California Office of Traffic Safety at (916) 509-3063 or via email at [email protected].
Address/Location
Morgan Hill Police, California
16200 Vineyard Blvd
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 408-779-2101