The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department will out in full force during Memorial Day weekend, cracking down on impaired drivers with DUI Saturation Patrols.

Officers have received specialized training to help identify those driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and remove persons under the influence from the roadways. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department is prepared to stop and arrest any drunk driver they see to keep roads safe.

However, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department says having a sober driver is just the first step in keeping the night safe — they encourage everyone to continue using their seat belts, putting away their cell phones, following the rules of the road, and keeping an eye out for dangerous drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2012, more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes nationwide. That accounts for one every 51 minutes. Over 800 of those died on California roadways.

In 2011, 32,367 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic collisions across the nation, with 31 percent of those, or 9,878 people, of those fatalities occurred in drunk driving-related crashes. Californians witnessed at total of 2,835 deaths that year with 774 killed in DUI crashes on their streets and highways.

Drunk drivers often face jail time, the loss of their license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towed, and collision repair, and lost wages due to time off from work.

Even worse, a drunk driver can cause a traffic crash that claims someone’s life or their own.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department encourages everyone remember these tips for safe driving:

• Even one drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk, or worse, the risk of having a crash while driving.
• If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead, designate a sober driver before the party begins.
• If you have been drinking, do not drive. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life and inaction could cost a life.
• Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to continue to work together to bring an end to these tragedies. If you see a Drunk Driver call 911.