Officers on heightened alert for drunken drivers in S. Tahoe

The Avoid the 6 DUI Campaign will be deploying officers this holiday weekend at DUI/driver’s license checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols throughout El Dorado County to arrest impaired drivers.

The Memorial Day weekend is the first holiday travel period of the summer season and this, coupled with many college and high school graduations, will see friends and families gathering to celebrate, often with alcohol. Law enforcement is reminding everyone to make plans now for those weekend trips and celebrations to use a designated driver to avert arrest or worse, a deadly drunken driving tragedy.

The enforcement blitz begins Friday night with DUI saturation patrols in South Lake Tahoe and Placerville. Saturday night officers from the AVOID Coalition will be conducting a DUI/driver’s license checkpoint in South Lake Tahoe.

More local DUI saturation patrols will be out on Sunday nights in South Lake Tahoe. The California Highway Patrol is deploying all available officers Memorial Day weekend onto freeways and county roads in their jurisdiction.

Law enforcement regionwide are asking for everyone’s support this holiday weekend and all summer:

• Arrange rides home for your friends, family, co-workers and yourself before the drinking begins

• Those hosting celebrations and servers must limit drinks to your guests or patrons. Don’t serve more than one or two over several hours.

• Identify and provide free non-alcoholic drinks to the designated driver

• Cut back on the amount of drinks you plan to bring to the party – and provide plenty of food.

• If you see dangerous driving, report drunken drivers – call 911.

Funding for the Avoid DUI Campaign is through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.