Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety conducted a DUI Safety and Sobriety checkpoint. From 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturday, officers screened 85 vehicles on northbound Mathilda Avenue between Maude Av and San Aleso Av. By the evening's end, three DUI arrests were made, and over a dozen unlicensed driver citations were issued according to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety's FB post.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, nearly 31% of all traffic collision fatalities in the U.S. involve drunk drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0,08g/dl or higher. Yearly, drunk-driving collisions claim approximately 10,850 lives. Adding to the danger on our roads, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that roughly 20% of all fatal crashes in the U.S. are caused by unlicensed drivers or individuals with suspended licenses.
One glaring example from the Sunnyvale checkpoint was a driver with fresh open containers of alcohol who entered the checkpoint, clearly inebriated. The driver failed all field sobriety tests, and their preliminary alcohol screening showed a BAC more than twice the legal limit of .08 BAC. Furthermore, this individual was currently on DUI probation for a prior conviction, eventually being arrested and booked into County Jail.
The checkpoint was sponsored by the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and attended by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). These organizations worked together, combining resources and efforts to create a more safe and responsible environment on the streets of Sunnyvale. Continued efforts such as these signify the importance of keeping our roads clear of dangerous and careless drivers who put both themselves and society at risk.
