HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011_12_12_Winter Holiday DUI Enforcement PeriodWinter Holiday DUI Crackdown News Release 2011
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 12, 2011
Contact: Sgt. Allan Abney, (661) 326-3598 aabney@bakersfieldpd.us
There Are No Holiday Festivities in Jail
RUOK? is the Wrong Message to Send this Holiday Season
[Bakersfield, CA]— As you celebrate the holiday season enjoying traditions, food, family and fun, be
reminded that the Bakersfield Police Department, together with the Kern County Sherriff’s Department,
CHP and the Avoid the 18 DUI Taskforce, will be working during the holiday season from December 16,
2011, to January 2, 2012, to arrest anyone caught driving drunk behind the wheel. The Bakersfield Police
Department will conduct DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints on 12/16, 12/17, 12/23, and 12/30 as part of
the Bakersfield Police Department’s commitment to the traffic safety campaign.
“RUOK?” is the text message version of the often heard question, “Are you okay to drive?” If you have
to ask someone the question, you already know the answer. You know they have had too much to drink
or are showing signs of being “buzzed.” You know they are not okay to drive. Asking the question
doesn’t relieve you of the responsibility. Call them a cab, take them home yourself, offer your couch.
DUI/ Driver’s License Checkpoints, Multi Agency DUI Task Force deployments and roving DUI patrols
are scheduled locally in partnership with law enforcement statewide and around the county during the
Winter Holiday Anti-DUI Campaign. DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest
opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Officers will be contacting drivers
passing through the checkpoint for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. Grant funded Drug
Recognition Experts will be staffing most of the checkpoints.
DUI Checkpoints, along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement, are proven strategies
with the goal of removing impaired drivers from the road and 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. The Bakersfield Police Department has 26 additional DUI Checkpoints and operations
scheduled throughout the course of the next year.
“There will be no spreading holiday cheer behind the bars of a jail cell.” Chief Greg Williamson said.
Don’t let your 2011 holiday season end in an arrest or worse, death. Remember, whether you’ve had way
too many or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk.
Winter Holiday DUI Crackdown News Release 2011
In December 2009, there were 753 people killed nationwide in crashes that involved drivers or motorcycle
riders with blood alcohol concentrations of .08 Blood Alcohol Content. In California, 57 individuals died
on the states streets and highways.
“The message is simple, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Drinking alcohol and driving do not mix. If
you plan to consume alcohol, you should also plan not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride a
motorcycle.” said Chief Greg Williamson.
The Bakersfield Police Department recommends these simple tips for a safe holiday season:
Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home
If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public
transportation
Use your community’s sober ride program http://ddiofbako.com/
If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law
enforcement, Call 911
Remember, “RUOK?” is a ridiculous question. If you think they’ve had too much, they
probably have. Help him or her make other arrangements to get home safely.
The national Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown is led by the California Office of Traffic Safety
(OTS) and NHTSA, with the California Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign combining high-visibility
enforcement and heightened public awareness through publicity.
For statewide and local Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign Enforcement Schedules for the county and
Daily DUI Arrest/Fatal Stats for the county and region, visit www.californiaavoid.org. The Program is
funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety who reminds everyone to please – Report Drunk Drivers
– Call 9-1-1!
Media Notes: To schedule an interview regarding Anti Drunk-Driving efforts, or request a ride-along
with law enforcement during the holiday period, please contact Sergeant Allan Abney via email at
aabney@bakersfieldpd.us.