Statewide Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Campaign
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be partnering with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) on a campaign that has the goal of reducing the number of impaired driving crashes. The safety campaign is entitled the Impaired Driving Reduction (IDR) enforcement and education campaign. It started on the 1st of October and will run through the end of September 2022.
2019 Injuries and Deaths
There were 568 fatalities and more than 11,000 injuries caused by impaired driving crashes in California during the year 2019. Every one of these crashes was a preventable tragedy that evidences a need to continue to focus efforts on reducing incidents of impaired driving within our state.
2020 DUI Citations
The CHP issued more than 90,000 DUI citations for use of drugs and/or alcohol in 2020. The IDR campaign grant gives funding to the CHP so they can conduct more checkpoints, saturation patrols, and promote safety education efforts throughout the state. The goal is to remove impaired drivers from the roads and educate motorists about the many dangers associated with DUI.
Part of the effort will be to remind motorists that DUI is not limited to drunk driving, but includes the use of illegal drugs, cannabis, certain prescription medications, and even substances you can buy over-the-counter. These substances, especially in combination with one another, can seriously affect a motorist’s ability to drive safely. There are many options besides getting behind the wheel impaired – designated a sober driver, call a cab or rideshare, or stay the night where you are. Any of these is a far better option than driving under the influence.
Watch the YouTube video. CHP enforcement efforts for DUI are often stepped up around the holidays. Below is a news clip from last year reporting on DUI arrests around Thanksgiving.
CARSEAT Safety Campaign
Another safety campaign grant that was recently renewed is the California Restraint Safety Education and Training (CARSEAT) grant. This is the fifth iteration of this renewable grant. It supports a continuing effort to improve safety for child passengers. The CHP will use funds from the grant to conduct training courses, awareness campaigns, and enhanced enforcement efforts through the end of September 2022.
The goal of the CARSEAT campaign is to reduce the number of children who are injured and killed in traffic collisions throughout our state. One of the important efforts funded by the grant is safety seat inspections, which are available to parents and guardians at various area offices by appointment. Child safety seats only serve their purpose when they are installed and fastened correctly, and positioned properly within the vehicle. Kids must stay in the back seat of the vehicle in a child safety seat until they are at least 8 years of age. After that, and if the child meets certain size conditions, they may sit in the back seat using a seat belt that is fitted and secured properly.
The CHP will also be conducting enhanced enforcement to check on seat belts and safety seat usage during the year. Their enhanced emphasis will span from May 23rd through June 5th and during Child Passenger Safety Week, which is in September.
Fort Bragg Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello. Thank you for reading our report on the two renewed CHP safety campaign grants. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Fort Bragg personal injury lawyer. There are too many accidents every day on our Northern California roads and highways. If you have suffered injuries or someone in your family has been harmed due to the actions of a negligent motorist, call our experienced injury lawyers for compassionate, free, and friendly legal advice. Our phone number is (707) 564-1900. From outside the local area code, please use our toll-free line: (800) 404-5400. Our firm has been advocating for injured Northern Californians for close to 40 years.
Photo by Ash Edmonds via Unsplash
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