Full Notification

The Newport Beach Police Department Traffic Division will be conducting a DUI/Driver License Checkpoint on Friday, August 17, 2018 at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 2:30 a.m.
 
In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-related impaired driving crashes.  The Newport Beach Police Department supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”  If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a warning about driving or operating machinery on the label, you might be impaired enough to be arrested for DUI.  Marijuana can also be impairing (especially when used in combination with alcohol or other drugs) and can result in a DUI arrest.
 
The deterrent effect of High Visibility Enforcement using both DUI checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol- or drug-involved crashes.  Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized DUI checkpoints and proactive DUI patrols are conducted routinely.  DUI Checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, affording the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Locations are also chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.
 
In California, alcohol-involved collisions led to 1,155 deaths and nearly 24,000 serious injuries in 2014 because someone failed to designate a sober driver.  “Over the course of the past three years, the NBPD has investigated 196 DUI collisions which have claimed three lives and resulted in 281 injuries to our friends and neighbors,” said Sgt. Michael Schiavi.
 
Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing, delaying motorists only momentarily.  When possible, specially-trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which now accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes. 
 
Studies of California drivers have shown 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 impairment. 
 
Law enforcement emphasizes the preventable nature of impaired driving.  All it takes is a little planning ahead: designate a sober driver, take public transportation or a car service, or call a sober friend or family member to give you a ride home.  You can also look up designated driver services in your area using the National Directory of Designated Driver Services (NDDDS). But, whatever you do, don’t drive under the influence.
 
The Office of Traffic Safety would also like to share two unique programs for designated drivers.
 

• OTS encourages community members to participate in the Designated Driver Very Important Person (DDVIP) Program.  As a DDVIP, you can ensure that people get home safely and get rewarded for it.  Partnering bars and restaurants statewide have created non-alcoholic specialty drinks (“DDrinks”) for sober drivers.  More information can be found at http://bit.ly/OTSDDrinks.

• Recording Artists Against Drunk Driving (RADD) also offers a Designated Driver Rewards program at 43 college campuses statewide.  Local bars and restaurants provide non-alcoholic drinks and/or food specials to designated drivers.  More information can be found at http://collegeisradd.org/campus-partners/.