A DUI checkpoint will be conducted in North Hollywood on Friday evening as officials attempt to stave off an increase in drunk drivers expected for the holiday weekend.
The checkpoint will be by Metro's Red Line Station at 5350 N. Lankershim Blvd. at about 5:30 p.m., following a news conference by city and police officials who are expected to warn of the dangers of drunk driving and encourage drivers to plan a safe way home after festivities.
Last year, within a 12-hour period between 5 p.m. July 4 and 5 a.m. July 5, there were four drunk-driving-related crashes and seven DUI arrests in the San Fernando Valley, said Detective Bill Bustos of LAPD Valley Traffic Division.
Citywide, there were 54 DUI arrests in the same period, Bustos said.
Those numbers represent a fraction of the 9,000 people arrested for DUIs and 952 collisions involving drunk drivers last year in Los Angeles.
On average, someone is killed by a drunk driver in the U.S. every 48 minutes, and those who fail sobriety tests can expect to pay over $10,000 in expenses and fines.
"Alcohol and drugs affect judgment, reaction time, concentration, vision and play major role in traffic collisions," Bustos said. "Everyone is at risk, including family members and friends. Driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is not an accident, but a choice."
Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18384720?source=rss
Tamala Jones Katharine McPhee Michelle Behennah Karen Carreno Amber Arbucci
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