Avoid the 12
updated: Aug 15, 2012, 1:22 PM

Source: Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department

Law Enforcement Reminds Drivers to End the Summer on a Safe Note

If you drink and drive in Santa Barbara County, beware, the Santa Barbara County ‘Avoid the 12' DUI Task Force is joining with law enforcement agencies throughout the state for the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign running August 17 to September 3, 2012.

DUI/ Driver's License Checkpoints, Multi Agency DUI Task Force deployments and local roving DUI patrols are scheduled locally in partnership with law enforcement nationwide during the Summer/Labor Day Campaign. (See attached Enforcement Schedule of Operations)

On Friday August 17, ‘AVOID the 12' will be conducting a DUI / Driver's License checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the City of Santa Barbara from 8:00 PM to 3:00 AM.

The crime of impaired driving is a serious one. In 2010 alone, 791 people died in California in crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit. The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21-to-24 age group.

"On average there is one alcohol impaired driving-related fatality every 51 minutes across America. But this tragic loss of life can be reduced if we get impaired drivers off our roadways," said Sgt. Kevin Huddle of ‘AVOID the 12'. "Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign reduces alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. By joining this statewide wide effort, we will make Santa Barbara County's roadways safer for everyone throughout the Labor Day period."

California Highway Patrol Captain Maples with the Santa Barbara Area Office said CHP, Police and Sheriff Deputies will be aggressively looking for all impaired drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone they find driving while impaired. CHP will deploy all available officers during the Labor Day holiday weekend onto freeways and county roads they patrol.

"Obviously we want to remind everyone that it is illegal to drive impaired, and we hope the campaign will remind people that if they plan on drinking, to never get behind the wheel," said Sgt. Huddle. "But if someone does choose to drive impaired, we will arrest them. No warnings. No excuses."

According to the ‘Avoid the 12' DUI Task Force, violators will face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Their insurance rates will 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 national Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown is led by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), with the California Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign combining high-visibility enforcement and heightened public awareness and impaired driving deterrence through publicity.

The Program is funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who reminds everyone to Report Drunk Driving - Call 9-1-1!

Additional information about the Avoid Program and operational plans from around the region can be found at www.californiaavoid.org. Statistical data on the number of DUI arrests and DUI fatal crashes will be released periodically throughout the summer mobilization period.

Funding for ‘AVOID the 12' comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

Santa Barbara County - The Santa Barbara County ‘Avoid the 12' is announcing its upcoming enforcement operations for the Summer / Labor Day Holiday DUI Campaign. The following schedule of operations, dates, and locations are provided for media release.

Media Event: 08/16/2012 - At the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office at 2:00 PM

Checkpoints: 08/17/2012 - Avoid checkpoint in Santa Barbara City 08/24/2012 - Goleta checkpoint in city 08/31/2012 - Avoid checkpoint in Santa Barbara City

Task Force Operations: TBD - in the City of Santa Maria TBD - in the City of Santa Maria

Saturation Patrols: Santa Barbara PD - 2 shifts Santa Maria PD - 4 shifts Guadalupe PD - 4 shifts UCSB PD - 3 shifts Lompoc PD - 4 shifts Santa Barbara SO - (1) 08/17; (3) 08/18; (3) 08/25; (2) 09/01;

Court Sting: Week of 08/20/2012

Warrant Sweep: Week of 08/20/2012

Additional information about the Avoid DUI Program and operational plans from around the region can be found at www.californiaavoid.org. Statistical data on the number of DUI arrests and DUI fatal crashes will be released periodically throughout the holiday campaign.

Funding for the "Avoid" program is provided by a grant form the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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