Planning on guzzling margaritas and Tecate Lights in honor of Cinco de Mayo? Don't get behind the wheel.

It's always a bad idea to drink and drive, but on major holidays — Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, the Fourth of July — law enforcement agencies step up their DUI patrols. This weekend is no different.

LAPD officers will target people driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs with DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols.



Friday, May 5

DUI/Driver License checkpoint at Manchester Avenue and Main Street from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

DUI/Driver License checkpoint at Sunset Boulevard and Orange Grove Avenue from 8 p.m. to 1 A.M.

DUI saturation patrol in Central Bureau from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.



Saturday, May 6

DUI/Driver License checkpoint at Sherman Way and Independence Avenue from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

DUI/Driver License checkpoint at Roscoe Boulevard and Gloria Avenue from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, May 7

DUI saturation patrol in Mission Area from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department will also conduct DUI saturation patrols, from Friday at 6 p.m. to Saturday at 2 a.m. They'll focus on areas with many DUI collisions and/or arrests. The agency's DUI Enforcement Team will also be deployed throughout the weekend to stop and arrest impaired drivers.

LAPD officer Mauricio Valdovinos tells KPCC he expects to see an increase in impaired driving tonight.

"Usually when it falls midweek, we don't get as many people out drinking and celebrating. So because now when it's on a Friday, a lot of people have Saturday off. We do tend to see a rise in the number of impaired drivers that are going to be on the road," he says.

From 2011 to 2015, 270 people were killed nationwide in impaired driving crashes during the Cinco de Mayo holiday period, according to the LAPD.

Drivers can download the Designated Driver VIP (aka DDVIP) free mobile app for Android or iPhone. The app helps find nearby bars and restaurants that feature incentives, like free non-alcoholic drinks and appetizers, for designated sober drivers.