Designate a Driver before the Fiesta Begins

Cinco de Mayo has become a joyous day for many Angelinos to honor and celebrate Mexico’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Cinco de May is a day to honor the heritage and pride of Mexican Americans throughout North America.  Unfortunately, it is also a night with unnecessary dangers when community members decide to drink and drive.  This year party hosts, bars and restaurants are encouraged to plan and promote patrons to designate sober drivers in advance – before the ‘Fiesta’ begins.

To ensure a safe and festive Cinco de Mayo, the Los Angeles Police Department recommends the following tips:

•Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
•Designate a sober driver;
•Leave your car keys at home;
•Call a taxi, call a friend or family member, or use public transportation to ensure you get home safely;
•Call 911 if you see a possible drunk driver on the road; and,
•Take the car keys away from someone who is about to drive impaired and assist them in getting home safely.

In effort to keep the streets of Los Angeles safe during the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, the LAPD will supplement its routine driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement activities with the following:

•May 4, 2011 (Wednesday) – DUI Saturation Patrol in Northeast Area from 3 to 11 PM;
•May 5, 2011 (Thursday) – DUI Saturation Patrol in Foothill Area from 3 to 11 PM;
•May 6, 2011 (Friday) – Sobriety Checkpoint at Sunset Boulevard and Genesee Avenue in Hollywood Area from 7 PM to 3 AM;
•May 7, 2011 (Saturday) – Sobriety Checkpoint at Sherman Way and Kelvin Avenue in Topanga Area from 7 PM  to 3 AM;

Funding for the checkpoints and saturation patrols are provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  We can all help make our streets safer, please report Drunk Drivers – Call 911.  For further information, please contact Officer Don Inman, Traffic Coordination Section, at 213-486-0703.