Police to Conduct Holiday DUI Patrols This Weekend

The Los Alamitos Police Department will conduct saturation patrols Sunday to stop holiday revelers who try to drive drunk.

The patrols will operate from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. in Los Alamitos and are part of the Orange County Avoid the 26 Winter Holiday DUI Campaign.  

During last year's two-week holiday campaign, there were 172 alcohol-related collisions in the county along with one drunk-driving death and 78 injuries, according to a release by the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner's Department. Similarly, 36 people died in drunk driving accidents statewide during last year's holiday season.

In 2009, 211,000 drivers were arrested for drunk driving in California, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. Statewide in 2009, more than 27,000 people were killed or injured in drunk driving crashes. However, DUI arrests have increased by 18 percent since 2001 due to increased enforcement efforts, according to the automobile club. The automobile club estimates that the cost of a first-time DUI arrest is roughly $12,162 or more in fines and fees.

In California the legal blood alcohol limit is .08. The Seal Beach Police Department is encouraging anyone who sees an impaired driver to immediately call 911.

The Automobile Club of Southern California offers these tips to prevent drunk driving:

• At social events, designate non-drinking drivers who can get everyone home safely.
• Call a friend or family member for a ride home if you have been drinking.
• Keep a cab company telephone number in your wallet so you can call for a ride home.
• As a party host, offer a variety of non-alcoholic drink alternatives and provide a gift to guests who volunteer to be designated drivers.
• Take the car keys away from friends and relatives who have had too much to drink.