KING CITY — This St. Patrick’s Day, the King City Police Department will be on alert for suspected impaired drivers and reminds the community to celebrate the holiday responsibly.
Additional officers will be on patrol March 17 from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
“Have a game plan before you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” said King City Police Sgt. Anthony Shaw. “Designate a sober driver or make other plans to get home safely.”
During the 2019 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period, nearly half of all traffic deaths throughout the country involved a drunk driver. Anyone who sees a suspected drunk driver on the road should call 911.
In addition, King City Police will hold a DUI Checkpoint on Friday, March 18, from 6 to 11 p.m. at an undisclosed location within King City limits.
Checkpoint locations are chosen based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired.
During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
“The safety of our community is and always will be our mission,” Shaw said. “We are looking for impaired drivers because driving under the influence is dangerous and puts others on the road at risk.”
King City Police Department wants to remind the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving.
Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving or “operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a car. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
“If you plan on drinking or taking medications that may impact your ability to drive safely, plan on staying at home,” Shaw said.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
Funding for these programs is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
