Sobriety checkpoints planned
By John Loesing
Acorn Staff Writer

Have happy holidays, but don’t get too happy behind that wheel.

Last year in California 1,233 people were killed and more than 30,000 injured in alcohol-related crashes—nearly 4 percent over 1999, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

Officers at Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, a division of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, hope to cut back on DUI accidents by posting extra checkpoints on local streets this Christmas and New Year’s.

The sheriff’s station covers the communities from Calabasas to Westlake Village. Oak Park is under the jurisdiction of the highway patrol and Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

"One of the CHP officer’s toughest jobs is informing someone that they lost a loved one due to a drunk driving crash," said D.O. Helmick, CHP commissioner.

"The greatest tragedy is that alcohol-related crashes are 100 percent preventable."

Despite the grisly statistics that characterize this time of the year, Traffic Sgt. Kevin Mauch of Lost Hills station thinks drivers are finally getting the message.

"I’ve found it to be much better than it was 10 years ago for instance, both Christmas and New Year’s," Mauch said. "The employers seem to be much more responsible as far as office parties and such."

Mauch said that throughout the holidays the station will send out "saturation" patrols, cars with more than one deputy, and will set up roving DUI checkpoints along various streets.

He declined to say on which days the stepped-up activities would take place.

"We want to remind people that the holidays are a time for safe celebrations," said Teresa Becher, OTS interim director.

"The best gift that you can give a loved one is keeping everyone safe. That means safe at home and on the roadways."

Law enforcement officials say it’s imperative to have at least one designated driver available at every holiday party or gathering.

Nationwide, 16,653 people were killed and 310,000 injured in alcohol-related crashes last year, according to traffic safety figures.

Officials also remind parents that starting next year, the state’s new child seatbelt law goes into effect.

As of Jan. 1, all children must be placed in a protective seat until they are at least 6 years old or greater than 60 pounds. The former law kept kids in safety seats until they were only 4 years old.

"There’s some kids that graduated out of them that are going to graduate back in again," Mauch said.

The new law will affect many kindergarten and first-grade students who ride to school with their parents and in carpools, Mauch said.

Booster seats can accommodate up to 80 pounds for those children who have outgrown their regular safety seats.

Call the sheriff’s department at (818) 878-1808 for more information, or visit www.carseat.org.

See related story on page 15.