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The History of AVOID
The AVOID Anti-DUI Program was launched in 1973 to bring law enforcement agencies together in countywide clusters to crack down on the drinking driver and reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by alcohol related crashes. Funding, provided by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, allows counties to add overtime hours, reassign officers, and conduct public awareness campaigns during the increased enforcement periods.
The overall goal of the awareness campaign is to let drivers know about the countywide increased enforcement periods and warn drivers that the only way to “AVOID” the county’s law enforcement officers is to drive sober. Increased enforcement periods are planned during high traffic holiday periods such as the Memorial Day weekend, July 4th weekend, Labor Day weekend, and the Christmas/New Year holiday period.
Santa Clara County was the first to participate in the AVOID Program. Since 1974, 35 counties have joined the program bringing over 350 law enforcement agencies together to fight drunk driving on our streets and highways. During this same period, nine Bay Area Counties joined forces to become the first regional AVOID Program in the nation with 125 participating law enforcement agencies.
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