FRESNO - Officers from the Fresno Police Department will be out Saturday, December 28, 2019, looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
DUI saturation patrols will take place in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests. In 2017, 1,120 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads. In 2018, the Fresno Police Department investigated 391 DUI collisions which have claimed 8 lives and resulted in another 70 injuries.
In recent years, California has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. The Fresno Police Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.
The Fresno Police Department encourages drivers to follow these tips to avoid a DUI:
•Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
•See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
•Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
•Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who is drinking and how they are getting home.
Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension, and other expenses not to mention possible jail time.
Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the Fresno Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Madera Police will also be conducting checkpoints within the city of Madera on December 28th.
