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Both organizations have encouraged education and enforcement as a means of reducing the number of alcohol-impaired drivers on the roadways. There are indications that these measures are working. Nationally, drunk driving numbers are going down. Yet, drunk driving still remains a threat.
Californians Struggle to Find Their Drinking Limits
Despite education efforts that have yielded a 14 percent decrease in the number of drunk driving related fatalities over the past year, 29 percent of all traffic deaths in California still stem from driving under the influence (DUI).
Assessing how much is too much is often difficult for people. It is easy for people to think they are okay to drive if they believe they are only buzzed. But research has shown that buzzed driving is often too much.
Individuals surprised to find themselves pulled over because they were suspected of drinking and driving should contact a Riverside DUI lawyer as soon as possible. A conviction for DUI will bring severe consequences, including fines, a suspended license and possibly even jail time.
Refusing a DUI Breathalyzer test brings its own problems. Because of California’s implied consent law, anyone who refuses to have their blood alcohol content (BAC) tested will automatically face a minimum one year suspension of their driving privileges. In addition, insurance premiums frequently soar.
Alternative DUI Enforcement Measures in Riverside and Contra Costa Counties
Holiday DUI enforcement has traditionally meant sobriety checkpoints. But for a cash-strapped California, the state is looking for alternative measures. According to a Los Angeles Times article, law enforcement in Conta Costa County will be utilizing saturation patrols rather than sobriety checkpoints to catch suspected drunk drivers. Riverside County will be using a combination of sobriety checkpoints to target drunk drivers.
MADD and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) are both urging holiday revelers to buckle-up and use designated drivers this holiday season. People who have been drinking and are unsure whether they have had too much should err on the side of caution and call a family member, friend or taxi to get home safely.
Source: www.MADD.org, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over This Holiday Season,” 13 December 2011, MADD
