Crackdown on holiday drunk drivers

Increased DUI checkpoints will be scattered throughout the state

By Jeff Christian
The Collegian

Law enforcement agencies statewide are gathering for the holiday season, and it isn’t for a scrumptious holiday potluck luncheon.

Over 450 law enforcement agencies throughout California will attempt to crack down on the number of motorists driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs over the holidays.

A $3.7 million grant from the Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will fund the collaboration that aims to set up sobriety checkpoints and get drunk drivers off the road.

Amy Armstrong from Campus Police Communications said police units will embark on special detail nights where officers will specifically operate DUI checkpoints.

“I think it’s good that they have more stops to prevent accidents. I know some friends that have driven drunk and get mad at them,” Fresno State sophomore Kaitlin Morgan said.

Armstrong said the winter holiday season, along with the Fourth of July and the Memorial and Labor Day weekends, typically tend to be times of the year when DUI arrests increase because there are more celebrations with alcohol.

Statistics reported by the California Highway Patrol’s 2005 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System indicate that there has been a decrease in the number of people injured in alcohol-related crashes since 2002.

However, despite the decrease in injuries, the number of deaths for alcohol-related crashes in Fresno County increased from 57 to 65 between 2004 and 2005.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 52 percent of drivers involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content of 0.16 or higher, a figure that is astonishingly twice that of California’s 0.08 legal limit.

An even more startling figure than the number of DUI arrests or injuries is the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting Programs estimate that in 2004, more than 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

According to the FBI’s figures, about 1 out of every 139 licensed drivers in the United States was arrested in 2004 for driving under the influence.

Fresno State students can protect themselves and their friends by taking extra precautions during the winter season. Using designated drivers and avoiding the roadways during the late hours are two things students can do to ensure safety on the road.

In 2005, 441 of California’s 1,574 alcohol-related crash fatalities occurred over a 15-hour period on Friday to Sunday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

About 25 percent of injuries statewide resulted from alcohol-related crashes that occurred during the same late-night weekend time window.

“Normally my friends and I plan ahead and we try to find a sober driver, especially if we’re going to a party at a fraternity or something like that,” Morgan said. “You just have to be extra cautious if you’re out late.”

Another way that students can increase their safety is to immediately report any driving encounters with possible drunk drivers.

The police department recommends that motorists report any encounters of suspicious or erratic driving that could possibly stem from alcohol use. Although police are asking for help from the public, reporting the location and car model of potential drunk drivers could be overlooked by many students who aren’t used to the practice.

“I never call 911 if I see a drunk driver on the road. I usually just try to keep my distance from them,” Morgan said.

Fresno State sophomore Jennifer Barkett believes the only ways to combat drunk driving are through education and life-altering experiences.

“It’s got to affect them personally. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a tragedy. It could be an anti-drinking and driving program or something,” Barkett said.

Morgan said increased alcohol and DUI awareness programs on campus could also prevent students from breaking the law.

“They should have more days of alcohol awareness on campus where students can hear stories about actual Fresno State students who have been affected by drinking and driving,” Morgan said.

“That might be the only way to make students think and prevent them from drinking and driving.”

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