KING CITY — As the summer travel season wraps up, the King City Police Department (KCPD) reminds drivers to be responsible and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Whether traveling locally or taking a longer road trip to see friends and family, please have a game plan for how to get home safely,” said Sgt. Anthony Shaw of KCPD. “There is never a good excuse for driving after drinking or using drugs that impair.”
KCPD asks residents to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families by buckling up, avoiding distractions behind the wheel, following the speed limit and not driving impaired.
To help keep the community safe, the department will have additional officers on patrol Aug. 17 through Labor Day, Sept. 5, looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The additional efforts to prevent impaired driving are part of a national enforcement campaign, Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over.
In addition to patrols, KCPD will have a DUI Checkpoint on Aug. 27, from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. at an undisclosed location within King City.
In 2020, 1,159 people were killed throughout the state in drunken driving-related crashes, which accounted for 30% of all traffic deaths.
While drunken driving is a significant traffic safety problem, driving while impaired is not just from alcohol. Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and marijuana may also impair.
“If you plan on drinking or taking medications with a driving warning label, let someone who is sober drive. If you see someone driving impaired, call 9-1-1,” stated KCPD in a news release.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
