The number of DUI arrests during the Labor Day weekend in Orange County skyrocketed this year, according to a news report in The Orange County Register. Law enforcement agencies countywide made 262 arrests during the Labor Day weekend on suspicion of driving under the influence. Last year 187 DUI arrests were made during the same time period. Officials anticipate that this year's numbers could be even higher after all agencies report their numbers.

Significant Increase in DUI Arrests

Summer is usually the prime time for drunk driving and DUI collisions. According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, between August 19 and September 5, a total of 856 arrests were made through roving patrols, sobriety checkpoints and court stings. All these enforcement efforts were part of an anti-DUI campaign carried out by a multi-agency task force called "Avoid the 38."

Last year, during the same period, 665 DUI arrests were made. This year, one DUI fatality was reported in Anaheim when a 25-year-old San Dimas man died after losing control of his vehicle and crashing. Officials attribute the increase in DUI arrests to a significant increase in enforcement. Funding for this enforcement program is being provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Holiday Enforcement

A number of car accidents in Orange County occur during the summer holiday weekends – Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. It is common for people to attend parties, barbecues and get-togethers where alcohol is served. The months of summer and the period between Thanksgiving and New Year are times when DUI collisions and drunk driving arrests are high.

DUI Danger

I commend the county's law enforcement agencies for teaming up and cracking down on drunk driving. DUI is not an accident, it's a choice. We can choose to take a cab, utilize a designated driver or stay at a friend's place until we are sober. A lot of drivers who get behind the wheel drunk wrongly believe that they will get away with it. It's a chance that is definitely not worth taking. You not only put your own life in jeopardy, but also the lives of your passengers, other drivers and pedestrians in grave danger. DUI collisions often result in serious injuries and fatalities. They have the potential to turn lives upside down.

As an Orange County personal injury lawyer, I have seen the devastation of drunk driving first-hand. Our law firm has financially pursued drunk drivers on behalf of injured victims and their families because we passionately believe that these drivers should be held accountable. Please do not drink and drive. For more information about the dangers of driving under the influence, please visit the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) web site at www.madd.org.