Police search for drunk drivers during the holidays
By Daily Press staff
More local cops will be out patrolling the streets in the next several days in an attempt to crack down on drunk driving.
As part of its annual holiday campaign against drunk driving, the beefed up enforcement started over the Thanksgiving weekend with a sobriety checkpoint at Sixth Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. Police stopped 606 motorists — two were arrested — one for driving under the influence and the other for giving false information to a police officer. Three more checkpoints were to occur during December.
But for the upcoming week, saturation patrol is the Santa Monica Police Department’s primary focus. The holiday season typically is one of the highest periods of alcohol-related traffic deaths and the department is trying to avoid as many tragedies as possible this year.
Last year, an estimated 16,653 people were killed across the country in alcohol-related crashes, which represents nearly 40 percent of all traffic fatalities. More than 1,000 of those deaths were in California and three of them were in Santa Monica.
“It’s our goal to make this holiday season one of the safest seasons ever for those visiting and shopping in Santa Monica,” said SMPD Chief James Butts.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving believe sobriety checkpoints are one of the most effective ways to detect and deter drunk drivers.
“Our roadways must be free from the threat of alcohol-impaired drivers,” said Tina Pasco, executive director of MADD, Los Angeles. “Highly publicized sobriety checkpoints alert motorists to stay off the roads or designate a non-drinking driver to avoid a drunk driving arrest.”
Public opinion polls show support for sobriety checkpoints and studies show a reduction in alcohol-impaired driving where checkpoints have been used.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 28, 2001. Read the original PDF.