SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – In a significant step towards enhancing road safety in California, the
California Highway Patrol (CHP) is partnering with the California Office of
Traffic Safety (OTS) on a new yearlong campaign aimed at reducing impaired driving
incidents in California. The grant-funded
“Reducing Impairment Statewide” campaign
runs through September 30, 2024.
Driving under
the influence (DUI) remains a critical concern, and this $5.9 million grant
represents a critical injection of funding to support the CHP’s ongoing commitment
to making California’s roads safer and protecting the lives of all who travel
them.
According to
data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, in 2021, 748
people were killed and 12,591 were injured in crashes involving an impaired
driver within the CHP’s jurisdiction. Each
one of these injuries and deaths represents a preventable tragedy and underscores
the continued need to focus efforts on reducing impaired driving.
“The California
Highway Patrol is grateful for the federal funding that has made this
initiative possible. Through education,
enforcement, and community engagement, the CHP is determined to make our roads
safer and reduce the devastating impact of impaired driving,” said CHP
Commissioner Sean Duryee. “I remind all
Californians to never get behind the wheel when under the influence of drugs or
alcohol and to always make a safe choice when traveling. The life you save could be your own.”
With this funding,
the CHP will conduct additional DUI saturation patrols, sobriety checkpoints,
and traffic safety education efforts throughout California. The increased presence of the CHP will be
focused on detecting and apprehending drivers under the influence of alcohol or
drugs while educating the public about the dangers of impaired driving.
DUI can
encompass a range of substances, including alcohol, cannabis, impairing
medications, illegal drugs, or any combination that affects a driver’s ability
to drive, and will result in an arrest for those who are found to be under the
influence.
To prevent DUI,
the CHP encourages responsible behavior.
Always designate a sober driver, take public transportation, or use a
taxi or ride-share. Additionally, the
CHP would like to remind the public to call 9-1-1 if they observe a suspected
DUI driver. Be prepared to provide the
dispatcher a location, direction of travel, and vehicle description.
More
information about the CHP’s impaired driver enforcement programs can be found on our website.
Funding for
this program was provided by a grant from the OTS, through the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
The
mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and
Security.
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