LAPD Targets Impaired Drivers with DUI Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols NA18186jl

What: Sobriety & Driver’s License Checkpoint

When: Thursday, September 27, 2018, 7 P.M. to Friday, September 28, 2018, 1 A.M.

Where: Florence Avenue at Hobart Boulevard Los Angeles, California

What: DUI Saturation Patrol

When: Friday, September 28, 2018, 6 P.M. to Saturday, September 29, 2018, 2 A.M.

Where: 77th Street Area

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What: Sobriety & Driver’s License Checkpoint

When: Friday, September 28, 2018, 8 P.M. to Saturday, September 29, 2018, 1 A.M.

Where: La Brea Avenue at Oakwood Avenue Los Angeles, California

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Note: Locations of the checkpoints are subject to change or cancelation.

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

The deterrent effect of High Visibility Enforcement using both DUI checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols has proven to lower the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug impaired crashes. Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized proactive DUI operations are conducted routinely.

DUI Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, affording the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.

In California, alcohol involved collisions led to 1,155 deaths and nearly 24,000 serious injuries in 2014 because someone failed to designate a sober driver. Year to date, LAPD officers have investigated 1,384 DUI related collisions, which have resulted in 10 fatal and 43 serious injury collisions.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing, delaying motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which now accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes.

Studies of California drivers have shown that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol. Everyone should be mindful that if you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment affects.