Media Contact:

Tahnee Lightfoot, Public Information Officer

Glendale, CA – The Glendale Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, September 12, 2014, at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

The deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized DUI checkpoints and proactive DUI patrols are conducted routinely.

In California, this deadly crime led to 802 deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver. Nationally, the latest data shows nearly 10,000 people were killed by an impaired driver. “Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed two lives, but have resulted in 62 injury crashes, harming 86 of our friends and neighbors and 1,870 drunk driving arrests have been made,” said Sgt. Tweedy.

Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their system. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6.00 for every $1.00 spent. Nearly 90 percent of California drivers approve of DUI checkpoints.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.00.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Glendale Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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