Pasadena Police Department Holding DUI Enforcement Operations

The Pasadena Police Department will conduct DUI saturation patrols on Friday as they look for drivers suspected of driving under the influence, according to a statement released on Monday.

The patrols will take place in high frequency collision and arrest areas.

In 2017, 1,120 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads. In 2019, the Pasadena Police Department investigated 88 DUI collisions which claimed two lives and resulted in another 43 injuries.

In recent years, the state has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes, including those caused by drivers under the influence of prescription drugs.

In the release, the Pasadena Police Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI, the release said.

The Pasadena Police Department encourages drivers to follow these tips 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.
• See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
• Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
• Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who is drinking and how they are getting home.

Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the Pasadena Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.