Increased Anti-DUI Patrols in Cupertino on New Year's Eve

Sheriff's Deputies will be out in force on Cupertino's streets on New Year's Eve, looking for impaired drivers as part of the Avoid the 13 anti-DUI holiday campaign.

"Extra DUI saturation patrols" will be deployed in Cupertino, as well as San Jose, Mountain View, Los Altos, and Morgan Hill. The CHP will also be stepping up patrols during the entire weekend.

All regularly scheduled traffic and patrol officers will focus efforts on stopping and arresting DUI drivers during normal shifts, according to officials. Multiple DUI Driver's License Checkpoits and roving DUI patrols are a part of the region-wide effort during the 17-day campaign.

Since the holiday Avoid the 13 campaign started on Friday, Dec. 16, Santa Clara County law enforcement officers have arrested 294 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. During the same 14-day period in 2010, 397 people were arrested.

So far no DUI-related deaths were reported since the start of this year's campaign.

Officials are encouraging citizens to call 911 if they suspect a driver of being under the influence.