June 17, 2005

Successful DUI campaign lowers fatalities, injuries

The California Office of Traffic Safety has recognized the San Jose Police Department for outstanding work in a DUI Enforcement Campaign that substantially lowered alcohol-involved fatal and injury collisions in San Jose.

During fiscal year 2004, the city’s anti-DUI campaign resulted in a reduction in:

- total fatal and injury collisions by 21 percent, from 4,061 to 3,202

- alcohol involved fatal and injury collisions by 37 percent, from 264 to 167

- hit and run fatal and injury collisions by 34 percent from 444 to 291

- nighttime fatal and injury collisions by 27 percent, from 536 to 393

The program was developed to reduce victims killed and injured as a result of DUI drivers. The program also focused on increasing seatbelt use.

The department implemented aggressive strategies including education and public outreach programs in collaboration with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers and the Santa Clara County Traffic Safe Communities Network, officer training, seat belt challenges at local schools, targeted enforcement, saturation patrols, equipment purchases and DUI sobriety checkpoints.

The department has changed and saved many lives through DUI and seatbelt enforcement and education. It conducted a seatbelt challenge at four local high schools with a seatbelt use rate at each school: 90.9 percent at Del Mar, 89.4 percent at Santa Teresa, 90.3 percent at Independence and 83.9 percent at Silver Creek. About 6,300 students were observed.

The police department also participated in the “Remember or Be Remembered” seat belt enforcement campaign in November 2003. They deployed their changeable message sign displaying pro-seatbelt and anti-drinking and driving messages. It was viewed by thousands of students, parents, faculty and residents.