IRVINE, CA (September 5, 2009):  The Irvine Police Department will be conducting a sobriety/driver's license checkpoint during the evening hours on Saturday September 5, 2009.  The location of the checkpoint will be Jamboree and Birch in the City of Irvine. 

Recognizing that drunk driving is one of America's deadliest crimes, this checkpoint is intended to deter impaired driving, educate the public, and hold accountable those who violate the law.  The checkpoint will be clearly marked and vehicles will be selected to be checked on a pre-set basis to ensure objectivity.  Motorists will be greeted and given an informational brochure on impaired driving.  Driver's licenses will be checked, and trained officers will direct impaired drivers to a secondary check area for further evaluation.  Most motorists will experience little delay, if any at all.

"Statewide, DUI deaths fell 9 percent to 1,029 in 2008.  Credit for the drop in DUI deaths goes to law enforcement, state and local agencies, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other safety advocates," said Christopher Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety.  "In addition, the people of California have come together to address this deadly problem and are now seeing results.  As positive as these figures are, though, we can never let up until we achieve our goal of zero deaths." 

The "Drunk Driving: Over the Limit, Under Arrest" national DUI crackdown campaign is organized by the US Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and focuses on high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness.  This campaign is supported by California's AVIOD Anti-DUI program, which promotes regional DUI enforcement and awareness efforts.  For additional information, visit http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/ and http://www.californiaavoid.org/

The California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have given support for this project.