Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s DUI Enforcement Team will look for drinking- and drug-impaired drivers on Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27 throughout Dana Point. They will be seen in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions.

Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized, proactive DUI operations are routinely conducted, according to a press release from OCSD.

Officers will look for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. When possible, specially trained officers will be

available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which now accounts for a growing number of impaired driving crashes.

Drivers are encouraged to download the Designated Driver VIP, or “DDVIP,” free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The DDVIP app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature free incentives for the designated sober driver, from free non-alcoholic drinks to free appetizers and more. The feature-packed app even has social media tie-ins and a tab for the non-DD to call Uber, Lyft or Curb.

Those caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions and other expenses that can exceed $10,000, not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out, the press release stated.