St. Patrick's Day Drunk Driving Checkpoint Tonight in Mission Viejo

Friday night one Mission Viejo street will become a checkpoint for drunk drivers.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department will randomly stop vehicles from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. and look for drunk, drugged and unlicensed drivers.

The department does this hoping to "significantly reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage," according to a statement.

Tonight is also the beginning of weekend, a popular time for drinking.

Last St. Patrick's Day, three were killed and 96 injured across the state in drunk driving accidents, according to the sheriff's department.

More police will be on the roads across Orange County, the department says. It's part of the "Avoid the 38" campaign, which is one of a series of sobriety checkpoints paid for through state and federal grants.

Here are some tips police provided to avoid drunk driving:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin and designate a sober driver.
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to report them - Call 911!
• And remember, if you know people who are about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

For more information on the checkpoint, contact the Sheriff’s Department’s Public Affairs Office at (714) 647-7042.