Drinking and driving is always a bad idea, but it is especially unwise from now through Labor Day weekend. The Roseville Police Department is putting extra officers on the road throughout the month of August to patrol for drunken and drug-impaired drivers. DUI enforcement officers will be on the road every day and night throughout the city. Drivers found to be under the influence will be arrested and taken to jail, and their vehicles may be towed.
“We’ve seen a troubling increase in DUI-related collisions in Roseville, and those collisions tend to increase in the summer months,” Roseville Police Chief Mike Blair said. “We’re putting extra officers on the road to keep our roadways safer for all, and to prevent needless injuries and death.”
Here are three good reasons not to drink (or use other drugs) and drive:
1. The risk of injury or death to yourself and others: in California, 1,029 people were killed in alcohol related crashes in 2008, and many more were injured.
2. Cost: the estimated cost per injured survivor of a drunk-driving crash averages $115,000, including $55,000 in monetary costs and $60,000 in quality of life losses. The average drunk driving arrest costs $10,000, including legal fees and increased auto insurance premiums.
3. The embarrassment and inconvenience of a drunk-driving arrest: jail time, court time, loss of time from work, probation, an automatic six-month driver’s license suspension–the consequences go on and on.
Here are three easy ways to prevent a drunk-driving arrest:
1. If you’re going out drinking with friends, designate a sober driver in advance.
2. Call a taxi or sober friend for a ride home.
3. If you’re hosting a party, provide non-alcoholic drinks, never serve alcohol to underage guests, and remember–friends don’t let friends drive drunk. Take their keys and arrange a safe ride home.
Funding for Roseville’s anti-DUI patrols is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.