Got a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday weekend?
Don't change all that by getting behind the wheel after drinking.
That's the message from the Avoid 13 Marin County DUI Taskforce, a coalition of law enforcement agencies that regularly step up their DUI patrols around major holidays.
They'll be doing so again this Thanksgiving weekend "to strongly enforce DUI and seat belt laws," task force officials said in a statement.
“Too many people are not getting the message, so we’ll be out in force during this long travel weekend, with a simple goal— to strictly enforce the law in order to save more lives,” said San Rafael Police Chief Diana Bishop. “If you are caught driving impaired, unsafely, or found not wearing your seat belt you will be stopped, and you will be arrested orcited.”
During the 2010 Thanksgiving holiday, 337 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationwide, with 174 people dying in a DUI crash. In California, 30 individuals lost their lives on the road and two of those lost were due to a drunk driver, task force officials said. Nationwide, nearly 40 percent of all fatal collisions are caused by an impaired driver.
The Avoid the13 Marin County DUI Task Force will be deploying additional officers on "DUI Saturation Patrols" supplementing routine patrols throughout Marin. The extra patrols will deploy from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21 through midnight Sunday, Nov. 25.
To keep safe this Thanksgiving safe, the Avoid the 13 Coalition recommends these simple tips:
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
- If you are taking medication or using drugs; beware! They can impair your driving, and especiallynever mix with alcohol.
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver, and leave your car keys at home.
- If you’re impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportationso you are sure to get home safely.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, Call 911!
