Full Notification

FACTUAL INFORMATION:

In 2009, 950 people died in alcohol-impaired traffic collisions in California. Three out of every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol related traffic collision in their life time. These numbers increase greatly when you factor in the lives that are destroyed by drivers who are impaired by the use of street drugs and prescription medications.

The cost of a DUI arrest continues to increase each year. The estimated overall cost of a first offense of driving while under the influence has increased to over $10,000. The terms of the conviction will also include the requirement to install an Ignition Interlock Device in any vehicle being driven by the offender.

While the possibility of being involved in a collision, or being arrested for DUI, is high, we still find too many drivers in Livermore who choose to drive after they have consumed alcohol. Through September of this year, DUI related injury collisions have increased 36% from the same time period in 2009 in the City of Livermore.

In an effort to stop the increase in DUI collisions and injuries caused by those collisions, the Livermore Police Department will increase their impaired driver enforcement and education during the month of December and the upcoming holiday season. “Our goal is to eliminate impaired driving within our community,” said Sergeant John Hurd who supervises the Traffic Unit. “In order to be successful in our efforts to eliminate impaired driving in Livermore we need all community members to assist us in the fight against driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.”

The Livermore Police Department strives to build strong partnerships in the battle against the deadly plague of impaired driving. These partnerships include The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the local business community and the citizens as a whole.

The Alameda County “Avoid the 21” Holiday Enforcement Campaign begins December 17th and continues through January 2nd. Livermore PD Traffic Officers will adjust their work hours to be on patrol during the night and early morning hours throughout the campaign.

The Livermore Police Department will host the Avoid the 21 “Strike Night” on the evening of December 17th. More than 200 law enforcement officers from across the county will stage in Livermore to discuss impaired driving enforcement strategies. The deputies and officers will then deploy throughout Alameda County in search of impaired drivers. This high visibility enforcement will include officers patrolling in cities other than where they are employed.

The Livermore Police Department is committed to preventing impaired driving in Livermore, but this can only be accomplished with the help of the citizens. If you are out celebrating the holidays, we ask that you designate a sober driver; and please remember a “designated driver” is the person who doesn’t drink on that occasion, not the person who drinks the least.

Lastly, if citizens observe a driver they suspect may be impaired, they are asked to safely call 911 and report their observations. It is important to provide a detailed description and last known location of the vehicle. Citizens should only follow the suspected impaired driver if they can do so safely.