Glendale Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on February 8, at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.The deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized DUI checkpoints and proactive DUI patrols are conducted routinely. In California, this deadly crime led to 774 deaths in 2011 because someone failed to designate a sober driver. Nationally, the latest data shows nearly 10,000 people were killed by impaired driving. “Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed zero lives but have resulted in 82 injury crashes, harming 116 of our friends and neighbors and 1,838 DUI arrests have been made,” said Sgt. Tweedy. Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more have 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. Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.00. Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Glendale Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Report Drunk Drivers! Call 9-1-1.” |