As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, the Avoid the 100 DUI Task Force Coordinators and Glendora Police Chief Rob Castro are urging motorists to plan a safe ride home and never get behind the wheel drunk or drugged. During this holiday, police, Sheriff, and CHP throughout Los Angeles County will be on high alert, cracking down on drunk drivers as part of its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over public safety campaign.

“Drunk driving is dangerous, deadly and against the law – and it will not be tolerated in our communities this St. Patrick’s Day,” said Chief Castro. “Today we are giving fair warning to everyone traveling in Los Angeles County that our law enforcement officers will be out on patrol and if you are caught driving drunk, you will be arrested.”

The Avoid the 100 DUI Task Force will be deploying special roving DUI patrols and checkpoints this St. Patrick’s Day weekend in several communities throughout the area, looking to stop and arrest drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs. The DUI patrols and checkpoint enforcement operations are in addition to regularly scheduled police officers working together to locate the tell-tale signs of an impaired driver behind the wheel.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that over 700 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving drunk drivers during St. Patrick’s Day holidays from 2006 to 2010. On average, every 51 minutes a person is killed in a drunk-driving crash in the United States and the majority of these crashes involve drivers who have a .15% BAC or higher, almost twice the legal limit of .08%.

“Whether you are gathering with friends at the local pub or attending a local special event, if alcohol is part of the festivities, make sure you designate a sober driver to get you home safely, or contact your local sober ride program for a ride home,” said Castro.

The Avoid the 100 DUI Task Force recommends the following easy steps to have a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day:
 Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
 Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.
 If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation to get home safely.
 Use your community’s sober ride program
 Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911.
 And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive a car or ride a motorcycle while impaired, take the keys and help that person make other arrangements to get to where he or she is going safely.

The Task Force is funded through a grant by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration.