Officers from the Glendale Police Department’s DUI Enforcement Team will be deploying tonight to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in the Department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on Friday, February 20, 2015 between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests.

“We take DUI driving very seriously and enforce it rigorously,” said Sgt. Bouzikian. “This is a ‘Zero Tolerance’ crackdown, so Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!”

After falling dramatically for five straight years, figures for 2012 show an increase to 802 deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver. Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed 2 lives and resulted in 57 injury crashes, harming 77 of our friends and neighbors. The Glendale Police Department has made over 1,886 DUI arrests.

A DUI arrest can impact the economy in addition to the pain and suffering of those immediately affected. Conservatively, a fatality has a $1.4 million impact, an injury accident – $70,000.00, and a crash that only damages property averages nearly $9,000.00.

If you’re drinking and driving, law enforcement will find and arrest you. There will be no warnings, and no excuses. The only way to truly avoid a DUI is to drive sober. There are many ways to get home safely after drinking, and driving isn’t one of them. Designate a sober driver ahead of time, or call a friend or family member. You could also use public transportation or call a taxi. The cost of cab fare is nothing compared to a $10,000.00 DUI or the cost of someone’s life.