Sheriff's Dept. advises "keep the party off the road" with DUI task force focus Oct. 25 through Nov. 4

SAN DIEGO COUNTY - If you think a Halloween costume will disguise your drunk or drug impaired driving, San Diego County law enforcement has a message for you ‐‐‐ "keep the party off the road."

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department coordinates the county's AVOID the 15 anti‐DUI task force. Deputies and officers will increase their patrols to specifically look for drunk drivers on our roadways. The stepped up enforcement begins Thursday, October 25 through Sunday, November 4.

A DUI Saturation Patrol Operation will also be held on Saturday October 27 in the area of San Diego State University to deter impaired driving.

Halloween night is one of the deadliest times of the year for drunk drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 48 percent of highway deaths nationwide on Halloween night in 2010 involved a drunk driver.

The Avoid the 15 recommends these simple tips for a safe Halloween celebration:

 Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.

 Before drinking, designate a sober, ‘non drinking’ driver.

 If you’re impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.

 If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to report drunk drivers, Call 911.

 And remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

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