Christmas Eve is just around the corner and Sunday is Christmas Day; therefore, it is important to put safety first when driving on the roads. It is no secret that during the holidays there is a dramatic increase of drunk drivers traveling the highways and byways. While many will manage to skirt the authorities, others may find themselves approaching a drunk driving checkpoint on one of the many Southern California roads. Between now and New Year’s there will be driving under the influence (DUI) checkpoints every night, especially in Orange County, people found to have blood alcohol content (BAC) above .8 percent may find themselves spending Christmas in the “drunk tank.”

This year’s anti-DUI holiday campaign, known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” will include both DUI checkpoints and special “saturation patrols,” The Orange County Register reports. While the checkpoints are fixed locations, the saturation patrols are specifically tasked with finding and pulling over suspected drivers under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

If you think there is a chance that you may be driving under the influence this weekend, please be aware of the potential consequences of your decision. Californians who are caught driving drunk or high are looking at possible jail time, driver’s license suspension and staggering fines totaling around $10,000. Sadly, there are even bigger potential costs associated with driving under the influence, every Christmas holiday drunk driving accidents claim the lives of both the drunk driver and other innocent drivers on the road.

One of the most common excuses people give for choosing to get behind the wheel under the influence is that they did not have any other way home. A somewhat unlikely excuse given the plethora of taxi services in the Orange County area, but assuming that is the truth and you can’t find a ride home there are options. There is a free app available to download on your smartphone that can help you get where you need to go if you’re too drunk to drive. The California Office of Traffic and Safety Designated Driver VIP (DDVIP) could save your life, the lives of others and your savings account.

If you are charged with a DUI over the holiday season, please contact Orange County attorney Ronald G. Brower. California has some of the harshest DUI laws in the nation and it is important that you have an experienced and competent criminal defense attorney. At the Law Office of Ronald Brower, we would like to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas.