Full Notification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2016

CONTACT: Sgt. John Villanti
[email protected]
805.594.8066

On Halloween, and Every Day, Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving
San Luis Obispo Police Department Reminds Halloween Partiers Against Drinking and Driving

San Luis Obispo, CA— This Halloween weekend, the San Luis Obispo Police Department is reminding Halloween partiers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. If your Halloween party involves alcohol then you have to make a plan to get home without getting behind the wheel.

“If you want to stay safe this Halloween then make a plan to get home without driving if you’ve been drinking,” said Chief Cantrell, San Luis Obispo Police Department. “Just one drink impairs judgment, so plan to get home by taxi, ride share, mass transit, or designate a sober driver. Buzzed driving is drunk driving, so plan ahead and stay safe.”

Law enforcement will be out looking for the tell-tale signs of drunk driving in order to stop and arrest impaired drivers throughout the region this weekend and Monday, October 31 – Halloween night.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 43 percent of all motor vehicle crashes involved drunk driving on Halloween night from 2009 to 2013. Over that same period, 119 people were killed by drunk driving. Children out trick-or-treating and the parents accompanying them are also at risk as 19 percent of fatal pedestrian crashes on Halloween night (2009-2013) involved drunk drivers.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment with officers checking drivers for proper licensing, delaying motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which now accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes. Everyone should be mindful that when taking medication – whether prescription, over-the-counter or marijuana – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment affects.

Drivers are encouraged to download the Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that features free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more. The feature-packed app even has social media tie-ins and even a tab for the non-DD to call Uber, Lyft or Curb.

The cost of a ride home is cheap! Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions and other expenses that can exceed $10,000, not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so follow these simple tips to stay safe:

• Plan a safe way to get home before you attend the party. Alcohol impairs judgment, as well as reaction time. If you’re drunk you’re more likely to drive drunk.
• Designate a sober driver or take public transportation, a car service, or a call a sober friend of family member to get home.
• Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
• If you see someone you think is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them get home safely.

Funding for this DUI operation is provided to San Luis Obispo Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.

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