The end of the Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over campaign to curb drunk driving incidents resulted in 118 arrests locally during the 17-day crackdown during the holiday season.

The anti-DUI crackdown began Dec. 16 and continued through midnight Sunday and incorporated the use of additional patrols and DUI checkpoints. The crackdown is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The 118 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs were a decrease from the 166 arrests recorded during the 2010/11 crackdown during the same time period, said Turlock Police Lt. Nino Amirfar.

Law enforcement officials will be conducting more Avoid DUI operations throughout the county and region during Super Bowl Sunday in February and then again for local St Patrick’s Day Festivities in March.

DUI Checkpoints, along with regularly scheduled high visibility DUI enforcement, are proven strategies with the goal of removing impaired drivers from the road and heightening awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Amirfar said. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sobriety checkpoint programs can yield considerable cost savings: $6 for every $1 spent.

To contact Sabra Stafford, e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.