California Office of Traffic Safety Funds DUI Task Force AVOD the 12 With Grant

Santa Barbara County has received another grant to combat the number one killer on Santa Barbara Roadways, drunk driving.

The $130,000 grant from The California Office of Traffic Safety will fund the task force ‘AVOD the 12’. The ‘AVOID the 12′ DUI Task Force is named to send the message that if you don’t drink or use drugs and drive, you will avoid getting arrested by any of the 12 participating law enforcement agencies in the county.

The grant will specifically target the ‘worst of the worst’ repeat DUI offenders with Warrant/Probation Sweeps and Court Sting Enforcement Operations focusing on DUI offenders with suspend licenses who drive from court hearings after being ordered not to by a judge. A large part of grant funding will go to DUI / Driver’s License Checkpoints. These checkpoints are set up not only to make arrests, but also to deter impaired driving in the first place. Crashes involving alcohol have been shown to drop by up to 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent. DUI checkpoints are supported by nearly 90 percent of California drivers.

42 of California’s counties are participating in the AVOID campaigns. They are the largest funded DUI crackdowns in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Motorists can expect to see increased DUI checkpoints during the holiday season, when drinking and driving are at an all time high.

If you find yourself facing a DUI arrest report you should find a DUI Lawyer. The biggest mistake someone with a DUI conviction will often make is thinking it is a something they can handle themselves. Hiring a Santa Barbara DUI attorney will give you the best possible chances at fighting the penalties for a DUI conviction.  Santa Barbara DUI Attorney Kenneth M. Hallum offers a free case consultation. Call today, 805-564-3101. Know your rights, options and defenses against drunk driving.