As celebrations associated with Independence Day – fireworks, backyard barbecues and pool parties – wind down, it’s vital we all work together to spread this life-saving message: DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze. This Independence Day holiday, the San Gabriel Police Department wants to remind you to plan for a safe week of festivities by not driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or drugs. Doing so ensures you will not put others, and yourself, in danger by driving impaired.

To help reduce the heavy hearts and nightmarish memories as a result of impaired drivers, the San Gabriel Police Department will deploy additional officers on special DUI saturation patrols specifically to stop and arrest drivers showing signs of alcohol or drug impairment July 7, 2018 during the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.

“We want our community to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, but we want them to do so responsibly,” said Chief Harris of the San Gabriel Police Department. “Alcohol or drug impaired driving is illegal, but it’s also deadly. We’re imploring you: Please ensure you have a sober driver lined up to get you home safely from your holiday festivities. Doing so could save a life.”

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. During the 2017 four-day Fourth of July holiday in California, 17 people were killed and 430 injured in alcohol involved crashes. The San Gabriel Police Department supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”  If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.