KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-Salinas Police Give Away Turkeys To Sober Drivers
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SALINAS, Calif. - Salinas Police and community volunteers want to make sure you stay sober on the roads this holiday season. Tuesday night, they had a unique way of encouraging safe driving.
"We gave away 204 turkeys and luckily didn't have to arrest anyone," said Sgt. Terry Gerhardstein with Salinas Police. "Let's hope it stays that way through the holiday," he added.
The turkey giveaway/D.U.I. enforcement aimed to encourage families to have a safe and sober Thanksgiving and avoid drinking and driving. Officers said the holiday season is especially dangerous on the roadways since people are traveling and often celebrating, then getting behind the wheel.
Some statistics show someone is killed every 30 minutes in an alcohol-related crash in the U.S. That's why groups like Safeteens Empowerment Project in Salinas, or S.T.E.P.S., Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and dozens of other volunteers came together to collect turkeys for the DUI checkpoint. They handed out the free birds to families that successfully passed through the checkpoint
The hope is not only will this help out families who might need a turkey, but also serve as a reminder to stay sober after that turkey dinner before hitting the roads again.
