CHP press release

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) Bridgeport Area and the Mammoth Lakes Police Department (MLPD) have collectively scheduled a sobriety checkpoint for Friday, September 18, 2015, in Mono County.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The purpose of a sobriety checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, remove impaired drivers from the roadway and educate the public regarding the dangers of impaired driving.

dui_checkpoint.jpg

Unfortunately, impaired driving remains a major traffic safety issue.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Website, in 2012 more than 10,000 people were killed nationally in alcohol-impaired traffic collisions.  NHTSA estimates alcohol-impaired traffic collisions cost an estimated “37 billion dollars annually”.

Unfortunately, what cannot be captured in the statistics is the lasting impact an impaired driving event has on those involved.  Lieutenant Jeff Holt, Commander of the CHP Bridgeport Area, wanted to remind residents, “Impaired drivers, either drunk and/or drugged, create a life threatening danger to our communities.  A sobriety checkpoint has a deterrent effect which ultimately makes Mono County safer.  This year alone, DUI related traffic collisions in Mono County are up 60 percent from 2014.  This is a trend that cannot continue. With cooperation from the public and a collaborative effort towards traffic safety from our law enforcement partners, we can reduce DUI related collisions.”

In an effort to reduce impaired driving, the CHP employs sobriety checkpoints to raise awareness and remove impaired drivers from the roadway.  Please, don’t become a statistic.  Always plan ahead and designate a sober driver.

 

Discover more from Sierra Wave: Eastern Sierra News

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading