DUI saturation patrols planned for Fourth of July weekend

During this Fourth of July weekend, the Modesto Police Department will be out in full force, cracking down on drunk drivers by aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger. In addition to routine staffing, extra officers will staff DUI Saturation Patrols over the three day weekend.

From 2010-14, 39 percent of all traffic fatalities over the Fourth of July period occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. There were 397 people killed nationally in motor vehicle crashes in 2014 over the Fourth of July holiday. Of those fatalities, 41 percent were killed in crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher, according to a news release.

The Modesto Police Department recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving.

▪  Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.

▪  Before drinking, designate a sober driver.

▪  If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate – “Report Drunk Drivers! Call 911!”

▪  If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take your friend’s keys and help your friend make other arrangements to get safely to where he or she is going.

Funding for the extra DUI enforcement operations is from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This story was originally published July 1, 2016 at 3:01 PM with the headline "DUI saturation patrols planned for Fourth of July weekend."