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Law enforcement wages July 4 campaign against intoxicated driving, underage drinking

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Wednesday, July 3—

An intensive multi-law enforcement agency campaign against intoxicated driving and underage drinking in San Diego County over the Fourth of July weekend is scheduled to begin today.

“We encourage everyone to plan ahead,” California Highway Patrol Assistant Chief John Antillon said. “If you’re going to drink, plan to have a designated driver.

The multi-agency effort, dubbed Operation Safeguard, will consist of widespread DUI checkpoints, roving sobriety patrols and stepped-up enforcement of house-party laws throughout the county from today through Sunday.

“We say this ... if you’re going to drink and drive, you’re going to be in trouble, and you’re going to spend your weekend not at the beach but with us, all of the people that you see here,’’ San Diego police Chief William Lansdowne said. “Drink responsibly.”

Those caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs will face longer-than-usual stints behind bars before they can bail out, county Sheriff Bill Gore noted.

“If you do get arrested, plan on spending the weekend in the San Diego County jail,” he said. “You probably won’t get out until Monday morning. So think about it.”

In addition to drunken driving, authorities advised that county social host laws, which prohibit underage drinking at house parties and other private gatherings, will be aggressively enforced.

On July 3, 4 and 5 from 2008-12, there were 54 alcohol-related deaths in the San Diego region, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office. Of those, 15 involved drunken driving, while 21 were due to falls, drowning, poisoning or overdoses.

Overall, 40 percent of Independence Day traffic deaths involve a drunken driver, the Automobile Club reported.

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