California will be increasing the amount of officers on patrol for its Avoid DUI Task Force Enforcement which begins the middle of August and runs through Labor Day. During this period, there will be heavily increased DUI saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints set up throughout the state. Officers will be checking drivers for alcohol, drugs, and suspended licenses and you better believe that they will see you before you see them.
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The purpose of the Avoid DUI Task Force Enforcement campaign is simple: Get impaired drivers off the road to reduce crashes and save lives. In 2013, drunk driving related crashes resulted in 1,025 deaths in California. Of those, 583 were drivers with a blood alcohol level (BAC) above 0.15 which is almost twice the legal limit.
A collaborative effort between local police, sheriffs, and the California Highway Patrol, the Avoid DUI Task Force Enforcement is funded by individual city and county grants from the state. DUI checkpoints, the main form of enforcement in this campaign, have proven to be successful in reducing the number of deaths from alcohol impaired crashes2. This year marks the 16th time this event has taken place. While every county executes this campaign independently, you may find some centralized information and updates in areas like Southern California.
California DUI Laws
Drivers who choose to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated will face some pretty serious and pricey consequences.
License Suspensions
- Drivers 21 years of age or older who’s BAC is 0.08 or higher based on a blood, breath, or urine test, will have their license suspended for 4 months on the first offense and 1 year plus the requirement to use an IID on repeat offenses within a 10 year period. If you refuse to take to take the BAC test and you are convicted of the DUI, your license will be suspended for 1 year on the first offense. A second offense and refusal to take the BAC test within a 10 year period will result in a 2 year revocation followed be 3 year revocation on a third offense within a 10 year period.
- Drivers under 21 will have their driving privileges suspended for 1 year on the first offense. If you refuse to take to take the BAC test and you are convicted of the DUI, your license will be suspended for 1 year on the first offense. A second offense and refusal to take the BAC test within a 10 year period will result in a 2 year revocation followed be 3 year revocation on a third offense within a 10 year period.
It’s important to note that drivers operating a commercial vehicle are subject to the punishments listed above if they have a BAC above 0.04.
Ignition Interlock Devices (IID)
- If a person convicted of a DUI is subsequently convicted of driving with a suspended or revoked license, they will be required to use an IID once they have regained their driving privileges or if they have been granted restricted driving privileges during their suspension period.
- If a person convicted of a second or subsequent DUI would like to regain restricted driving privileges during their license suspension period, they may opt to have an IID installed on all vehicles of which they are the registered owner and any vehicle they operate.
- A person is convicted of a DUI in Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, or Tulare, under an IID Pilot Program currently in place since 2010, is required to install an IID on all vehicles of which they are the registered owner and any vehicle they operate after completing any required suspension periods. This is required even upon the first offense in these four counties.
It’s important to note that, while there is financial assistance available to those of lower income, the installation and use monitoring of the IID is one of the many costly effects of DUI convictions. These expenses in addition to other fines (court costs, attorney fees, ect) can accumulate to over $10,000.
Other Enforcement Campaigns
- Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over – A national campaign that runs in parallel from August 19 – September 7 supported by the National Highway traffic Safety Administration encouraging an increase in DUI checkpoints in all states
- National Sobriety Checkpoint – A national campaign that runs from August 30 to September 6 also advocating for increased DUI stops supported by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) volunteers, nationwide representatives, and law enforcement
- Plan B Drinking and Driving Campaign – An Aussie campaign that runs during the month of August aimed at educating drivers, especially young males by promoting the choosing of a different option (plan b) than driving through digital, print, and other traditional forms of advertising
Drinking? – Some Pre-Party Tips
Not only can driving drunk (or buzzed) put your life and the life of others at risk, it can be an extremely expensive and inconvenient experience for those caught convicted. Follow these simple tips for a safe a fun night:
- Know yourself: Can you handle 2 or 3 beers but get buzzed just from smelling vodka? Whatever your kryptonite, too much of one thing, a certain type of brew or happy juice, know your limits and abide by them. Extra tip: your limit should not be “until I cannot walk”.
- Pace yourself: We don’t want to tell you how to have fun but we do believe you will have a more fun if you are not stumbling and slurring within an hour of arriving at the bar or bash. Take it easy and maybe respectfully bow out from chugging contests.
- Feed yourself: Don’t like to eat and drink? We hope you feel the same about drive and drink. But eating bread or other carbs can fill you up a little more so that you drink a little less, reduce the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into your blood, and keep you from getting those annoying and sometimes embarrassing stomach grumbles (#winning).
- Prepare yourself: Plan your night by making sure that you and your party have a safe way to get home. That may mean designating a sober driver, arranging for a pick up (“Hey, Mom…”), hailing a taxi, navigating the public transportation options, booking a hotel within walking distance, or crashing on the couch of a nearby friend’s house.
List of Known Sobriety Checkpoints (2015): Below is a list for sobriety checkpoints throughout Southern California as provided by the SoCal DUI Task Force. Details may have been added, changed or canceled at anytime during the mobilization of the campaign.
Friday, August 21
DUI Checkpoint
|
DUI Patrol
|
Alhambra
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Azusa
|
Hawthorne
|
Downey
|
Inglewood
|
Gardena
|
Montebello
|
Glendora
|
Pomona
|
Monterey Park
|
Torrance
|
Pasadena
|
CHP West LA
|
Pomona
|
LAPD 77th Street Area
|
Santa Monica
|
LAPD Central Area
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CHP Antelope Valley
|
LAPD Newton Area
|
CHP South LA
|
LAPD Wilshire Area
|
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. Palmdale
|
Saturday, August 22
DUI Checkpoint
|
DUI Patrol
|
Glendale
|
Azusa
|
La Verne
|
Gardena
|
San Gabriel
|
Glendora
|
CHP Altadena
|
Long Beach
|
LAPD Devonshire Area
|
Redondo Beach
|
LAPD North Hollywood Area
|
Torrance
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. Norwalk
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LAPD 77th Street Area
|
DUI Warrant Sweep – Whittier Sunday, August 23 DUI Patrol - Glendora DUI Patrol – LAPD North Hollywood Area DUI Patrol – LAPD Southwest Area Tuesday, August 25 DUI Patrol - Glendora Wednesday, August 26 DUI Patrol - Glendora DUI Patrol – San Gabriel Thursday, August 27
DUI Checkpoint
|
DUI Patrol
|
LAPD Pacific Area
|
Glendora
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. Bellflower
|
LAPD Central Bureau
|
|
LAPD Olympic Area
|
Friday, August 28
DUI Checkpoint
|
DUI Patrol
|
Culver City
|
Azusa
|
Gardena
|
Downey
|
Glendora
|
Gardena
|
Pasadena
|
Inglewood
|
Redondo Beach
|
Monterey Park
|
CHP Antelope Valley
|
Santa Monica
|
LAPD Olympic Area
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LAPD Harbor Area
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. Carson
|
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. Malibu
|
Saturday, August 29
DUI Checkpoint
|
DUI Patrol
|
Long Beach
|
Arcadia
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. West Hollywood
|
Azusa
|
|
Gardena
|
“Know Your Limit” Detail
|
Pomona
|
Long Beach
|
Redondo Beach
|
|
Whittier
|
Monday, August 31 DUI Patrol - Glendora DUI Patrol – LA Sheriff’s Dept. Palmdale Tuesday, September 1 DUI Patrol - Glendora Wednesday, September 2 DUI Patrol - Glendora Thursday, September 3 DUI Patrol - Glendora Friday, September 4
DUI Checkpoint
|
DUI Patrol
|
Arcadia
|
Gardena
|
Azusa
|
Glendora
|
Downey
|
Monterey Park
|
Glendale
|
Pomona
|
Hawthorne
|
LAPD Van Nuys Area
|
Inglewood
|
LAPD Wilshire Area
|
Santa Monica
|
|
Signal Hill
|
|
CHP Altadena
|
|
LAPD 77th Street Area
|
|
LAPD Southwest Area
|
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. Norwalk
|
Saturday, September 5
DUI Checkpoint
|
DUI Patrol
|
LAPD Mission Area
|
Gardena
|
LAPD Van Nuys Area
|
Long Beach
|
CHP Baldwin Park
|
Pomona
|
|
San Gabriel
|
CHP Central LA
|
|
CHP West LA
|
|
LAPD Southwest Area
|
|
LA Sheriff’s Dept. Santa Clarita
|
Sunday, September 6 DUI Patrol – Gardena DUI Patrol – Pomona Monday, September 7 DUI Checkpoint – CHP East LA DUI Patrol – Pomona
