'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' Checkpoint in Santee on Saturday

The , along with nearly 10,000 other law enforcement agencies nationwide, , are cracking down on impaired driving in the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign, taking place from Aug. 19 to Sept. 5.

The campaign makes a stop in Santee with a beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27. A specific location isn't given, it simply says: "Santee city limits."

In 2009, 10,839 people died in crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider was at or above the legal limit, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol‐impaired driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was the 21 to 24 age group.

“All  too  often,  innocent,  law‐abiding  people  suffer  tragic  consequences  and  the  loss  of  loved  ones  due  to  this  careless  disregard for  human  life.  We  will be  especially  vigilant  during  these high‐risk times when impaired drivers are most likely to be on our roads,” said .

According to the Sheriff's Department, the San Diego County Avoid Task Force will also deploy DUI Driver License Checkpoints, Multi‐ Agency DUI Task Force operations and local Roving DUI patrols during the 18 day campaign.

The Sheriff's Department reminds drivers that "violators can face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, fines, and/or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job or job prospects."

The national "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" crackdown is led by NHTSA with the California Avoid DUI Task Force, for more information, visit the High‐Visibility Enforcement Campaign Headquarters at www.StopImpairedDriving.org.