EL CERRITO POLICE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES PROGRAM
TO COMBAT DUI DEATHS AND INJURIES

The El Cerrito Police Department has been awarded a new traffic safety grant for a year-long anti-DUI program aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on our roadways. New enforcement measures to combat impaired driving are coming as a result of a recent $135,000 grant awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety to El Cerrito. The El Cerrito Police Department, and specifically the Traffic Safety Unit, is dedicated to keeping our streets safe through both enforcement and education.

There are far too many collisions in El Cerrito where alcohol has been a factor. One collision where a driver decided to get behind the wheel and drive after consuming an alcoholic beverage is one too many," said Sgt. Steve Bonini who supervises the Traffic Safety Unit. "It is simple; if you decide to go out for an evening of fun and drinking, assign a designated driver who will consume NO alcoholic beverages during the evening."

The special DUI Enforcement and Awareness grant is to assist in efforts to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol and other drug related collisions. The grant activities will specifically target impaired driving offenders as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving. This will be done through the use of

DUI/driver’s license checkpoints

warrant searches and stakeouts for repeat DUI offenders

saturation patrols, and

court stings targeting DUI offenders with suspended or revoked driver licenses who get behind the wheel after leaving court.

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. In 2008, over 11,700 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

Funding for the grant comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.