DUI Campaign: 2,168 Arrests During Holiday Season

The final report from the holidays for the Avoid the 100 DUI campaign showed 265 fewer arrests this holiday season than last, though authorities still pulled thousands of allegedly impaired drivers off Los Angeles County roads. 

Altadena and nearby areas had checkpoints throughout the campaign.

From 12:01 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 through midnight Tuesday Jan, 1, 2013, officers representing 100 county law enforcement agencies arrested 2,168 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to a press release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

During the 2011/12 holidays, 2,433 DUI arrests occurred during the same time period. However, last season's campaign lasted 17 days as compared to this season's 19 days.

Folks can expect more Avoid DUI operations throughout the county and region on Super Bowl Sunday in February, and then again for local St. Patrick’s Day festivities in March. Officials from local police agencies, the CHP and the LASD encourage all motorists to help law enforcement every day. They ask if you notice a drunk driver to call 911 and report the person.

The press release pointed out that DUI checkpoints, along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement, are proven strategies with the goal of removing impaired drivers from the road, as well as heightening awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sobriety checkpoint programs can yield considerable cost savings: $6 for every $1 spent. 

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.