More DUI patrols over Cinco de Mayo weekend in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach

The Newport Beach and Laguna Beach police departments will deploy additional officers Friday and Saturday in an effort to stem drunk driving over Cinco de Mayo weekend.

The officers will be on the lookout for drunk drivers or those who are under the influence of marijuana or prescription drugs, the departments announced this week.

“Historically, the fifth of May commemorates Mexico’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. But for many in the United States, present-day Cinco de Mayo celebrations often lead to impaired driving, and there is no victory in that,” Newport Beach police wrote in a news release.

Nationwide, 40 people were killed in vehicle crashes over Cinco de Mayo weekend in 2015. From 2011 to 2015, 270 people were killed nationwide in impaired-driving crashes on the holiday, according to statistics provided by the departments.

The California Office of Traffic Safety is offering a free mobile app — DDVIP — aimed at rewarding sober designated drivers with perks and free offers at bars and restaurants.

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