The Marin County Avoid the 13 DUI task force has received funds for the next year, its 11th, to continue its battle against drunk driving. The money was awarded by the a California Office of Traffic Safety directly to the San Rafael Police Department, which will administer the one-year grant for the entire county.
Marin County DUI Police Officers will use the newly awarded funds to run DUI and driver’s license checkpoints, drunk driving saturation patrols and courthouse stings. The 13 Marin County Police Departments involved in the Avoid the 13 campaign will also target repeat offenders and scofflaws by conducting warrant and probation sweeps.
DUI and Driver’s License Checkpoints aimed at deterring people from driving impaired and driving while unlicensed, have become commonplace in recent years. Although these checkpoints amount to a warrantless intrusion and their effectiveness can be questioned, the courts have ruled that checkpoints are legal provided that the police follow guidelines including the giving of advance notice to motorists, the use of proper warning signs and lighting and a neutral based formula for stopping cars.
Drivers in Marin County can expect to see DUI campaigns during the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas holiday season as well as on Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, and Cinco de Mayo. Traditionally those holidays see and increase in DUIs.
