At least 104 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Santa Clara County during the Independence Day weekend, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.
Thirteen law enforcement agencies, including the Morgan Hill and Gilroy police departments, participated in the holiday crackdown known as "Avoid the 13." From early Friday morning until midnight Sunday, departments heightened their regular traffic enforcement with sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and routine traffic patrols.
On Sunday, the last day of the Avoid the 13 campaign, 39 people were arrested on suspicion of impaired driving throughout the county. No deaths or injuries resulting from drunk driving accidents were reported during the holiday weekend.
During the same time frame in 2008, 84 DUI suspects were arrested throughout the county, according to Sgt. Rick Sung of the Sheriff's Office.
Morgan Hill Police arrested five people on suspicion of DUI during the three-day crackdown, according to Sgt. Jerry Neumayer.
Avoid the 13 is an annual law enforcement crackdown on impaired driving during major holidays such as the winter holidays, St. Patrick's Day, Super Bowl Sunday, Halloween and Cinco de Mayo. Funding for the program was provided by a $661,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In 2007, 6,976 people were arrested on suspicion of DUI in Santa Clara County, and 34 people died in drunk driving-related accidents, according to the COTS.
During the 2007-2008 Avoid campaign, MHPD arrested 92 people on suspicion of DUI.
The next heightened enforcement campaign will be the three-week period beginning Aug. 21 through Labor Day.
"In recognition that summer season is among the deadliest time of the year, law enforcement agencies throughout the county will be making every effort to arrest drunk drivers before another life is lost," Sung said.
For more information about Avoid the 13 and DUI reduction efforts in Santa Clara County, visit www.californiaavoid.org.
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