Law Enforcement Cracking Down on Drunk Drivers This Fourth of July Weekend
Oakland, CA – July 4th celebrations often include cook-outs, barbecues, boating, time spent with family and friends and, of course, fireworks. But for too many Americans, the nation’s annual celebration is filled with tragedy, as it is one of the deadliest holidays of the year when it comes to alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities. Officers from the Oakland Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint this Fourth of July weekend to crack down on drunk driving in the City’s ongoing effort to improve traffic safety, save lives and prevent injuries.
The DUI/Drivers License checkpoint will be Friday, July 1st, 2011, from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. at an undisclosed location, joining the Alameda Avoid 21 Coalition in the 4 day crackdown.
Statistics gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly half of all deadly traffic crashes over each year’s July 4th holiday involved some level of alcohol.
In fact, 410 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009.
Of that number, 40 percent involved drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.
In California, 7 were killed in DUI wrecks in 2009 while another 352 were injured in Alcohol Involved Collisions.
“Impaired drivers not only take the risk of hurting or killing themselves or someone else, the trauma and financial costs of an alcohol-impaired-driving crash or arrest can be significant.
Violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses,” said Acting Lt. Tom Hogenmiller of the Oakland Police Department.
Impaired driving is one of America’s deadliest problems; in 2009 alone, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for nearly 32 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in the United States.
That’s an average of one impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes in 2009. 950 men, women, and children died in a California because someone drove impaired over the legal limit.
“The summer holidays are some of the deadliest time periods on our roadways so everyone must remember to be responsible and plan ahead; use a Designated Sober Driver,” said Chris Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety.
“Just know everyone traveling down the road near you has a cell phone and will call 9-1-1 to report a suspected drunk driver!”
News from: Oakland Police Department
