Information provided by Hollister Police Department
Hollister Police Department announced it will be conducting a DUI/driver’s license checkpoint on Feb. 20 at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
The statement from Hollister Police Department added that recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes and that the Hollister Police Department supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety to educate 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 statement said.
It adds that the deterrent effect of high visibility enforcement using both DUI checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols has proven to lower the number of people killed and injured in alcohol- or drug-impaired crashes. Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20% when well-publicized proactive DUI operations are conducted routinely.
DUI checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, allowing the greatest opportunity to achieve drunk/drugged driving deterrence. Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.
Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes. The Hollister Police Department asks that the residents be mindful if taking medication– whether prescription or over-the-counter –drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment affects.
Studies of California drivers have shown that 30% of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14%) than did for alcohol (7.3%). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4%, slightly more than alcohol, according to the release.
Hollister Police Department offered these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:
- Decide before you go out whether you plan to drink or drive. You can’t do both.
- If you plan to drink, designate a sober driver before going out or map out another safe way to get home by taxi, ride-share or public transportation. You can also look up designated driver services in your area using the National Directory of Designated Driver Services (NDDDS).
- See your friend or other patron impaired trying to get behind the wheel? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to get where they are going safely.
- Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
The release encourages people to be a part of the designated driver very important person (“DDVIP”) program. As a DDVIP, you help ensure those drinking get home safely and get rewarded for it. Partnering bars and restaurants statewide have created non-alcoholic specialty drinks (“DDrinks”) for sober drivers: http://bit.ly/OTSDDrinks.
The statement cautions that while getting home safely is cheap, getting a DUI is not. Drivers charged 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.
Hollister Police Department noted this checkpoint is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.