Ventura cops plan anti-DUI outreach this weekend

Police in downtown Ventura this weekend will take a proactive approach to educating the public about drinking and driving. 

One novel feature of the “Know Your Limit” program, as implemented elsewhere, is that it's less about enforcement than about prevention. Officers approach customers at varying stages of intoxication, ask them to guess their blood alcohol level and then have them take a breathalyzer test to see if they're right. 

The Ventura Police Department will send officers downtown this weekend as part of the program.

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The technique was employed by Huntington Beach Police Department in 2014. The the Oxnard Police Department gave it a try in 2017 after its officers attended a conference in San Diego in summer 2016.

Different factors like height, weight, food intake, drug or medication as well as the amount of alcohol consumed can all influence a person’s blood alcohol level. On average, it takes two drinks within an hour by a 120-pound woman and four drinks by a 180-pound man to reach the 0.08% limit in California.

The “Know Your Limit” campaign will be held from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the downtown area.