Full Notification

Date of Release: August 13, 2018

West Covina, CA.
As we enter the final stretch of summer spending time at the pool or barbequing with friends and family, the West Covina Police Department is driving home the importance of celebrating responsibly by not driving, or riding a motorcycle, impaired. The West Covina Police Department is participating in a high-visibility national end of summer enforcement campaign during, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. The enforcement campaign runs through the Labor Day holiday weekend, which is one of the deadliest times of year in terms of alcohol-involved traffic deaths. Sadly, one-third of all traffic deaths involve drunk drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10,497 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes, or one person every 50 minutes.

The West Covina Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on August 17, 2018, starting after 6:00 PM, at an undisclosed location within the city limits. Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, checking drivers for proper licensing, delaying motorists only momentarily. 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. DUI Checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, affording the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence. Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public. “It’s up to drivers to make the smart decision and drive sober not just for this enforcement period, but every day”, said Marc Taylor, Chief of Police. “This isn’t about ticketing. This is a campaign to get the message out that driving impaired is illegal and takes lives.”

West Covina PD will show zero tolerance for impaired driving or riding and joins efforts by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to educate drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning label, you may be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing and result in a DUI, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs. In the ten years from 2005-2015, the percentage of drivers in fatal crashes with an impairing drug other than alcohol in their system has risen from 26.2 percent to 42.6 percent. As far back as 2012, a roadside survey in California showed more drivers tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent).

There are so many options out there to get home safely, including designating a sober driver, using public transportation or a ride sharing service, etc. There is no excuse for getting behind the wheel when you are impaired. Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the West Covina Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Any media related inquiries, please call (626) 523-4031