CHP’s Super Bowl DUI Patrols are a Success

On Super Bowl Sunday, as many were probably watching the game with friends and family, California Highway Patrol officers were out in force to help remove drunk drivers from the road. These efforts have been ongoing for several years and have proven fruitful in the feverish battle against drunk driving. Super Bowl weekend California High Patrol officers were stationed in several counties. Those counties included Baldwin Park, La Puente, Covina, Glendora, West Covina, Azusa and Monrovia, where officers made several arrests during their saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints. This Super Bowl weekend 28 impaired drivers were arrested in those counties by California Highway Patrol officers.

The California Highway Patrol has the Impaired Driver Task Force, which consists of 24 officers from the southern division who are trained and highly skilled in detecting impaired drivers. The concentrated efforts of this task force began at 7 pm on Sunday, February 1, and continued through 3:30 am on Monday, February 2. A total of 28 impaired drivers were arrested in this year’s strike against drunk drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl Sunday results in the most driving under the influence arrests on any Sunday in January or February. Large groups of people are usually joining together to watch the game together and celebrate or commiserate the outcome.

California Highway Patrol, along with the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, have been fighting against drunk driving for years now. The officers use a combination of DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols to remove potentially hazardous drivers from the road. These efforts have helped reduce the number of drunken driving fatalities and have also reduced the number of DUIs. It is required by law for the saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints to be publicly posted somewhere. These posts deter people from drinking and driving because they remind them of the possible repercussions if they are drinking and driving.

We encourage everyone to drive safely if you will be going out. A DUI can be costly and make it difficult for you to live your life normally. You could end up with a suspended license that does not allow you to drive to and from work, or social outings. Additionally, you may be required to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle. These devices prevent you from starting your vehicle until you have provided a breath sample to prove that you have not been drinking. You are then required to continue to provide samples through out your drive.