A driver in Southern California made a memorable mistake on New Year’s Eve when he told a police officer, “I’m the DUI tonight.” It seems he meant to say “designated driver,” but his slip of the tongue got him into serious trouble.
This unusual traffic stop happened around 12:40 a.m. in Riverside County. The driver explained he was dropping off a friend but then added, “I’m the DUI tonight.” The officer, clearly confused, asked, “Do you mean the DD?”—shorthand for designated driver. Unfortunately for the driver, he admitted to having beer and Champagne just two hours earlier.
Things didn’t get better for him when he was asked to perform a field sobriety test. Body camera footage shows him struggling to keep his balance and almost falling several times. Unsurprisingly, he was arrested and booked for DUI.
The Murrieta Police Department shared the video to remind everyone about the dangers of drinking and driving, especially during the holidays. The department has officers specially trained to spot and handle DUI cases, and they regularly run patrols and checkpoints to keep the roads safe.
The problem of drunk driving is a serious one. Every day in the U.S., around 37 people lose their lives in crashes involving impaired drivers. That’s roughly one life lost every 39 minutes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2022 alone, 13,524 lives were claimed by alcohol-related crashes, accounting for about 32% of all traffic fatalities.
To combat this, NHTSA recently launched its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign for the holiday season. Sophie Shulman, Deputy Administrator for the agency, urged people to make responsible choices. She reminded everyone that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs not only puts your life at risk but also endangers everyone else on the road.
Her advice was simple: plan ahead and arrange for a safe, sober ride home. Let’s make sure the holidays are remembered for the joy they bring, not for preventable tragedies.
