Stepped up drunk driving enforcement in San Luis Obispo on Cinco de Mayo netted but one DUI arrest.
In some respects that’s not much of a success rate, but as any traffic cop on the beat will tell you, it’s actually good news when the roads are safer.
SLOPD Traffic Unit Sgt. John Villanti said they conducted a “DUI Saturation Patrol” in the city from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the Mexican cultural holiday, May 5.
Officers conducted 39 traffic stops, made one DUI-alcohol arrest, and while they didn’t arrest anyone for being high on drugs, they did arrest three people on non-DUI “criminal charges.” They didn’t find anyone driving on a suspended license but did issue five citations, he said in a news release.
Some might call that a failure, but not finding drunk drivers is a good sign in a town with tens of thousands of college-aged residents, known for doing some heavy partying on holidays like Cinco de Mayo. Plus it was Thursday, usually a heavy party night in SLO.
“High visibility DUI enforcement efforts have a deterrent effect lowering the incidents of impaired driving,” Sgt. Villanti said, “and will continue thanks to special funding for extra officers to patrol for this deadly crime.”
Sgt. Villanti said DUI is a very easy to avoid and there are many ways to get around without putting the public or oneself in danger, including having a designated driver, calling a cab or through a new phone app.
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s “Designated Driver VIP” or DDVIP mobile app is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices, Sgt. Villanti said. Launched last year, the app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California.
Users will be offered free incentives at each participating bar “to celebrate their life saving role. They can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab,” Sgt. Villanti said.
Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe and not get arrested, users can order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb from one screen.
SLOPD will be conducting another DUI patrol on Saturday, June 4, Sgt. Villanti said, “in the Department’s ongoing commitment to lowering deaths and injuries upon the city’s streets and highways.”
Money for the extra patrols came from a California Office of Traffic Safety grant, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. – Neil Farrell
