Cinco de Safety in Orange County: Map a Spot App Available

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD)  is advising those celebrating Cinco de Mayo,  that if you are planning to party this Cinco de Mayo, keep this number in mind: 343 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes over the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend in 2014. Of those 343 people who lost their lives, 34 percent (116) died in drunk-driving crashes. Sadly, almost one out of five (17%) of all the drivers in fatal crashes that weekend had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of .15 % or higher—almost two times the legal limit.

Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems.  A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent).  Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent. Everyone should be mindful that if you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify your impairment. 

In the rush of party preparations, it’s easy to forget the most important Cinco de Mayo plan of all: designating a sober driver. Some think they can play it by ear and wait until after the party has started to decide whether they’re “okay to drive.” By this point, it’s too late. Going out for a night of drinking without a plan to get home safely is a recipe for disaster. When you drive drunk, you run the risk of killing yourself or someone else. You will be looking at jail time, the loss of your driver license, higher insurance rates, plus other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, towing and repairs, and lost wages. The average DUI costs about $10,000.

It follows then, that before your first drink this Cinco de Mayo, make sure you have a designated sober driver or arranged another safe way home. The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile app is available for free download on iOS and Android devices. The DDVIP app offers to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users will be offered free incentives at each bar to celebrate their life saving role.  They can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen

A final statistic to remember: drunk or drug impaired driving deaths are 100-percent preventable.

This enforcement effort is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Drivers, Call 911!’