By Shari Kaplan
Another holiday season is past, and local law enforcement agencies from Daly City to Gilroy report that no one was killed by a drunken driver.
The number of arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, however, went up significantly during the Avoid the 13 and Avoid the 23 campaigns in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, respectively. The 18-day crackdowns began
Dec. 15 and ended Jan. 1.
Thanks to 20 sobriety checkpoints, eight nights of high-intensity strike teams and increased numbers of patrols throughout the holidays in both counties, 1,441 drivers were arrested for being under the influence.
Los Gatos Police made 42 DUI arrests during this year's campaign, many of which were not Los Gatos residents. Last year, the town saw 51 arrests.
"We're pleased with the results and with the efforts of the officers. They did a very good job in the campaign in that there was only one injury and no fatalities," LGPD Sgt. Michael Yorks said.
Countywide, arrests numbered 920, up 29 percent from last year's 711. The San Jose Police contributed the most to that total, followed by the California Highway Patrol and the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.
This is the third time in its 22-year history that the Avoid the 13 statistics include zero deaths. Santa Clara County also had the lowest number of alcohol-related injuries in its history--only 33 accidents.
"We're very proud of all the police departments for putting in a lot of cold, dark hours. The Avoid the 13 campaign is ecstatic with these results," said Jan Ford, public information director for the Avoid the 13 and Avoid the 23 campaigns.
Seventeen Santa Clara County law enforcement agencies comprise Avoid the 13, which is sponsored by the Santa Clara County Police Chiefs Association and the California Office of Traffic Safety. The campaign's name stems from the original number of agencies that started it.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, January 10, 1996.
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