By Brenda Gregorio Nieto
As 2015 is coming to a close, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is encouraging drivers to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. As part of the national campaign Sheriff’s deputies will be conducting additional DUI patrols from December 16th to January 1st making sure to find impaired drivers before they hurt or kill innocent people. In 2014, deputies arrested a total of 1,610 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This year, so far more than 1,400 people have been arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol by the San Diego County Sheriff Department.
Just this year for the 12-hour period of 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and 6 a.m. Christmas Day, 11 people in the San Diego County were arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, whereas nine people were arrested in 2014. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), only one fatality was reported in our county that is one less than the two fatalities reported back in 2014. The number of suspected drunk drivers last New Year’s Eve was 14. This number decreased from 2013 which had 23 people arrested for driving under the influence.
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.04% while driving can lead you to get a DUI. And a reminder that buzzed driving is also drunk driving. This may cause you to have your license revoked or suspended, spend time in jail if convicted, attend mandatory DUI classes and having to pay hefty fines or fees that can exceed $10,000. Driving under the influence can not only affect your life but the life of everyone around you, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Every day in America, another 28 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes”. The national campaign drive sober or get pulled over focuses on the fact that police officers will “see you before you see them” while driving under the influence. This campaign aims to target 21-34 year old males who according to Tombras, an ad agency who created the campaign, are more afraid of jail than dying. We advise to make responsible choices this New Year’s Day.
Tips on how to prevent such tragedies the San Diego County Sheriff Department provides us with these friendly reminders:
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation
- If you see an impaired driver on the road, call 9-1-1 immediately
“Let’s prevent any tragedies this holiday season,” said Sheriff Bill Gore. “Don’t drink and drive. One bad decision could change your life forever. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
MTS will be operating their normal times on New Year’s Eve but will be operating holiday hours on New Year’s Day if you are interested in taking public transportation. The San Diego Sheriff would like the public to know that there will be no tolerance for drunk drivers at all so please keep that in mind if you’re planning on heading out. Furthermore, a reminder to drivers about sober ride options like Lyft, or
Uber. Also available if necessary, Tipsy Tow, a free holiday ride program provided by AAA that is available for everyone including non-members for New Year’s Eve. According to a survey done by Wallet Hub, San Diego is among the top places in the U.S to party on New Year’s Eve making it very tempting to make a wrong decision. It is encouraged to stay safe this holiday season and to enjoy responsibly. It will be best to drink from the comfort of your own home that way you will have less to worry about. In addition if you know or see someone who is drunk and who is going to drive please do the responsible thing and look for a safe way to get them home and take their keys away you will be saving their lives and the lives of others. We would like to wish you and your family a Happy and Prosperous New Year.