While Sheriff’s deputies remain vigilant, there are still too many DUI arrests in the Santa Clarita Valley.
During the 4th of July weekend, 46 total arrests were made, with 21 of them being for DUI – that’s nearly half. According to one Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s deputy: “People just aren’t getting the message: don’t drink and drive.”
In 2011, nearly half of all individuals arrested by sheriff’s deputies and CHP officers were booked for DUI, and this year that average remains pretty much unchanged.
By the end of 2011 alone, 100 people were charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in the Santa Clarita Valley. This means that, despite law enforcement’s best efforts to deter drunk driving, people are still choosing to do so.
According to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, alcohol has been suspected in at least 5 fatal collisions in the SCV this year alone. The CHP and the SCV Sheriff Station receive funding to carry out DUI checkpoints as often as possible, particularly on and around holiday weekends.
As a matter of fact, there is a DUI checkpoint scheduled for this Thursday, July 11th, in the Santa Clarita Valley at an undisclosed location.
Law enforcement will typically announce the dates ahead of time when they are going to conduct checkpoints, however the location is never released.
The announcement is designed to deter those who would risk driving under the influence. And the mysterious location is designed to, hopefully, nab those who choose to do so.