Additional officers from the Ontario Department will be out on patrol tonight from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Patrols will take place in areas with a history of DUI crashes and arrests. In 2018, 1,069 people were killed on California roads in crashes involving drivers who had a blood alcohol content over the legal limit (.08 or above). Last year, the Ontario Police Department investigated 96 DUI crashes that killed 5 people and injured 126 others.
The Ontario Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Prescription or over-the-counter medications with an operating heavy machinery warning on the label can also impair. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
If you plan on drinking or are taking medications that can affect your ability to drive, please take these precautions to avoid a DUI:
- Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
- Walking while impaired is also dangerous. Have someone sober walk you home or stay with you until a sober driver is available to pick you up.
- Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
- Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who is drinking and how they are getting home.
A DUI charge is not cheap. Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license and possible jail time. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California