Laguna Beach ramping up DUI checkpoints for holidays

Law enforcement agencies including Laguna Beach police, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol will conduct DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols through Jan. 3 as they participate in the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign.

As part of the initiative, Laguna Beach police will hold a DUI checkpoint from 8 p.m. Friday through 3 a.m. Saturday at an undisclosed location within the city.

Recent statistics show 30% of drivers in fatal crashes in the U.S. had one or more drugs in their systems at the time of the incident, Laguna police said in a release.

In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver in the U.S., including 733 in December. Twenty-three people died on Christmas Day.

“Drunk driving is a choice you make, and when you make that choice, people can get hurt or die,” Laguna Beach police Lt. Jeff Calvert said in a statement. “The safest way to get home is to drive sober or catch a ride with a sober, designated driver.”

Combining medication — whether prescription or over-the-counter — with alcohol can intensify the impairment effects.

There are smartphone apps that help drinkers reserve a ride home from companies such as Uber, Lyft and Curb.

The California Office of Traffic Safety Designated Driver VIP mobile app is now available for free download on iPhone and Android devices. Launched last year, the app allows designated drivers to find bars and restaurants offering rewards for driving buzzed people home, and gives the public an efficient way to reserve a ride.

If impaired drivers are caught, they could face jail time, fines, loss of driver’s licenses, towing fees and other expenses that can reach $10,000.

The public can call 911 to report drunk drivers.