SACRAMENTO, CA -- December 16, 2015: If you’re enjoying the holidays with a drink, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) has a message for you: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Due to the increase in drunk-driving-related fatalities around the holidays each year and the rise in drug-related DUI, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and law enforcement agencies across California will mount special operations searching for and arresting alcohol and drug impaired drivers from December 18 to January 3. They have good reason to – in 2013, 10,076 people were killed in crashes involving an impaired driver. In December 2013 alone there were 98 people killed and over 1,800 injured in alcohol and drug involved crashes in California.

“Drivers have received the message, but some still ignore it or think it doesn’t apply to them,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal, and even prescription drugs or marijuana can be deadly and dangerous. Don’t take a chance on a crash or an arrest, designate a sober driver. Or be the sober driver for your friends and download the helpful mobile app, DDVIP.”

As part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign period, police will be increasing the number of patrols, setting up checkpoints, and asking media to reach out to all drivers. If you’re caught driving impaired by alcohol or drugs, you could face jail time, fines, loss of driver’s license, towing fees, and other DUI expenses, totaling $10,000 on average. That’s not a small price, and that doesn’t even count the heftier price you could pay: the price of your life or someone else’s.

“Do not let the holiday cheer get the best of you. In an effort to keep the roadways safe for everyone, law enforcement actively searches for impaired drivers, especially around the holidays. In addition to increased education and enforcement efforts, we will deploy law enforcement personnel who are highly trained in detecting both alcohol and drug impairment,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said.

Law enforcement wish for a quiet, safe holiday period. The hardest part of their job is making that house call and telling a family that their loved one is gone because someone chose to drive impaired. That’s why this December they will show zero tolerance for drunk or drugged drivers on the road.

The Office of Traffic Safety has developed a special mobile app especially for the Designated Driver, “DDVIP,” as free download for iOS and Android devices. Users can “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 where they will find free offers like non-alcohol drinks, appetizers and more. And 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.