DUI enforcement planned for Coachella Valley
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department will be out in force this weekend to crack down on drunk drivers.
DUI enforcement is planned for Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells and Palm Desert.
Deputies will be setting up checkpoints on Friday at 7 p.m. until Saturday at 3 a.m. in areas that are known for DUI crashes and arrests.
There were 802 deaths in 2012 because people drove drunk, which was an increase from the previous five years where the statistic had fallen dramatically, according to the sheriff’s department.
In the past three years, six people have been killed in DUI traffic collisions in Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells and Palm Desert. A total of 123 people were injured in 79 crashes, police said in a release.
Deputies said a DUI can have an impact on the economy as well. A fatality totals about $1.2 million, an injury is $70,000, and a crash that only causes damage averages nearly $9,000.
The extra enforcement is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
To report a drunk driver, call 911.
