AVOID The 12 HOPES 2ND IN A ROW SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT WILL SET THE STAGE FOR SOBER DRIVING AT UCSB

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY - SEPTEMBER 20th, 2010

With the goal of setting the sober diving tone for the UCSB academic year, officers and deputies with Avoid the 12 are planning a sobriety checkpoint near campus for Saturday night, Sept. 25. It begins at 7 p.m. and runs through 3 a.m.

The campaign held a similar checkpoint last Saturday night.

"Last year we had some UCSB students involved in alcohol-related crashes," said Deputy Win Smith of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, campaign coordinator.

"This included a high-profile case in November in which a wrong-way driver killed two people on Highway 101 near campus. Many students are excited to be back, but unfortunately some will use that as an excuse to drink heavily before they have to buckle down to studying," he commented.

The weekend will also feature Friday night DUI saturation patrols in Buellton, Lompoc, Santa Maria and Solvang.

Avoid the 12 gets its funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.