Drunken Drivers, Forget About It! Heightened Enforcement Set To Go

Not that drinking and driving ever is acceptable, but especially so beginning at midnight Jan. 13 the move will be costly for impaired drivers on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa.

And later today, Jan. 12, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is set to run a “saturation” patrol in Eastern Hillsborough County.

In place for a two-hour "sobriety checkpoint" will be USF police officers who promise to identify drunken drivers, who in turn will face arrest and prosecution.

“This operation is part of a comprehensive, collaborative approach to traffic safety,” reads the checkpoint notice from the campus police department. “USF police officers will use the Sobriety Checkpoint to identify impaired drivers in an effort to keep our streets safe.”

Likewise, the Hillsbrough County Sheriff’s Office has an “Operation 3D” public awareness campaign, named for the admonition: “Don’t Drink & Drive.”

Part of Operation 3D includes regular checkpoints at advertised locations throughout the county.

Here's What's Coming:
Heightened DUI Patrols, Saturation, Checkpoints

• Jan. 12, saturation, 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., District II, Eastern Hillsborough County

• Jan. 18, heightened patrol, 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., all districts

• Jan. 19, saturation, 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., District I, Northern Hillsborough County

• Jan. 25, heightened patrol, 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., all districts

• Jan. 26, checkpoint and saturation, District II, Eastern Hillsborough County, State Road 60 (Brandon Boulevard) and Parsons Avenue.