Sheriff's deputies will be on lookout for impaired drivers tonight in Stateline

With back-to back three-day weekends , Douglas emergency services personnel at Lake Tahoe are preparing for a busy Christmas and New Year’s.

Under a "Campaign Against Drunk Driving" grant from the Department of Public Safety, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will get a head start tonight by conducting high visibility and strong DUI enforcement in the Stateline area of the Lake Tahoe basin.

Besides tonight, the Sheriff’s Office will be out Dec. 21-23, and Dec. 30 doing DUI enforcement in conjunction with multi-jurisdictional ‘Joining Forces Grant’. Patrol will be out in high numbers looking for impaired drivers in order to keep the roadways safe and protect lives, a spokeswoman said.

If you plan to drink, they encourage you to “Call for a Ride. Stay Alive.” Plan for a safe ride home such as call a cab, text a sober friend, or use a ride-sharing service.

https://sheriff.douglascountynv.gov/news/what_s_new/call_for_a_ride__stay_alive_

The holidays at Stateline typically sees thousands of visitors. While SnowGlobe in South Lake is cancelled and Californians are under stay-at-home orders it's still likely there will be a significant turn-out of revelers in the casino core.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District are partnering with local nonprofits and businesses to improve safety during the holidays.

On Tuesday, bartenders and servers will under go drunk driving intervention training sponsored by the sheriff and the district.

“The holidays should be a celebration, not a tragic occasion from the death of a loved one because of a drunk-driving crash,” said Fire Marshal Guevin. “Our emergency responders do an incredible job, but they can’t turn back time. That one second, the little amount, could lead to a fatal decision.”

The sheriff’s office is participating in the state’s Zero Fatalities campaign in an effort to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road.

“The Sheriff’s Office has a zero-tolerance policy for driving intoxicated. We are commitment to keeping our roads free of drunk drivers so everyone can trust the roads are safe for them to get home,” said Sheriff Dan Coverley. “One life is too many when are talking about impaired driving fatalities.”

A half dozen people have lost their lives on Douglas County highways so far this year, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.

The most recent was Nov. 3 in Glenbrook at Lake Tahoe where the Nevada Highway Patrol.

Impairment was suspected in four of the six Douglas County fatalities during 2020.