The Gilroy Police Department will be cracking down on drunk drivers this holiday season as a way to combat a nationwide increase in alcohol-related fatalities on the roadways. Locally, the GPD will have a DUI/drivers license checkpoint somewhere within city limits on Dec. 12 and six additional DUI patrols will be roving the Garlic Capital.
“If you’re celebrating with alcohol this holiday season, the Gilroy Police Department has a message for you: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” reads a statement from the GPD. Police and other law enforcement agencies, including the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol, will be stepping up enforcement between Dec. 12 and the New Year.
The extra DUI patrols, dubbed “saturation patrols,” will be operating from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Police say they will have zero tolerance for impaired driving.
“The only way to truly avoid a DUI is to drive sober,” the statement reads. “If you’re drinking and driving, law enforcement will be out to find and arrest you – no warnings, no excuses. There are many ways to get home safely after drinking, and driving isn’t one of them.”
Police suggest those who plan on drinking alcohol designate a sober driver or call a friend or family member—even call a taxi or take public transportation.
“The cost of cab fare is nothing compared to a $10,000 DUI or the cost of someone’s life, and the ‘inconvenience’ of not driving your own car home is nothing compared to the inconvenience of spending the holidays behind bars,” the statement continues.
Additional funding to support the increased enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In December 2012 alone, 830 people perished in crashes involving at least one driver with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher—above the legal limit. Of those deaths, 26 occurred on Christmas Day.
