For the Fourth of July holiday, Marin’s DUI task force will have enforcement patrols prowling the county’s roads on Tuesday and Wednesday for impaired drivers.
With Independence Day falling on a Wednesday, many in our community will be taking the rest of the week off so DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols will be out in force throughout the weekend, San Rafael police spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher said in a release.
The patrols will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday. There is also a sobriety and drivers’ license checkpoint planned in Sausalito on Friday at 6 p.m.; Novato police just staged one on Sunday and screened more than 1,000 vehicles, netting two DUI arrests.
“The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays due to an increase in impaired-driving fatalities,” San Rafael Police Chief Diana Bishop said. “Too many people die behind the wheel each year due to those who choose to drive after drinking, so our officers will be out in full force this Fourth of July showing zero tolerance for impaired drivers.”
Impaired-driving crashes killed more than 10,000 people in 2010, accounting for 31 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in the United States.
The Avoid the 13 DUI Task Force — named for the 13 law enforcement agencies involved — recommends these simple tips for a safe Fourth of July:
- Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver.
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation.
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate. Call 9-1-1.
- If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
Funding for the Avoid Campaign is from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
