Los Angeles Police Department To Combat Roadway Deaths And Injuries With DUI Checkpoints NR13510rh

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has been awarded a new traffic safety grant aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on Los Angeles roadways caused by DUI drivers.  Enforcement resources to combat impaired driving are being provided through a recent $2,244,100 grant awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety to the LAPD to fund DUI checkpoints.  The LAPD is dedicated to improving public safety and keeping the streets safe through a multi-facet approach that combines enforcement and education.

The DUI Checkpoint grant will assist in the efforts to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol and other drug related collisions in the community.  The grant will specifically target impaired driving offenders as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving.  When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.

Drunk and drugged driving are among America’s deadliest crimes.  In 2011, a modern day low of 774 people were killed and over 24,000 injured in alcohol and drug-impaired crashes in California.  In 2012, these tragic crashes resulted in 15 people being killed and 792 injured in Los Angeles.  Crashes involving alcohol have been shown to drop by up to 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.  Checkpoints have proven to be the most effective of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent and are supported by nearly 90 percent of California drivers.

Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If you have questions regarding this news release, please contact Officer Don Inman, Traffic Coordination Section, at (213) 486-0690.