Redlands Police Caution Cinco de Mayo Celebrants: 'Don't Drink and Drive'

Law enforcement for Redlands and Loma Linda are urging Cinco de Mayo celebrants to party safe and avoid drinking and driving.

"Whether you are meeting a few friends at the local pub after work or attending a local event or party, if alcohol is part of the festivities, make sure you designate a sober driver to get you home safely," Redlands police Sgt. Ricky Smith said in a prepared statement distributed Thursday.

Police in Redlands participate in the county-wide Avoid the 25 campaign against drunken drivers, which extends to Loma Linda.

"The Redlands Police Department, along with the Avoid the 25 County DUI Campaign, will be deploying additional officers on overtime during Cinco de Mayo weekend, supporting routine traffic and patrol officers and focusing on drinking driver hotspots," a city spokesman said.

In Redlands, targeted saturation patrols are planned Saturday May 5 and Sunday May 6, the city announced.

Police, deputies and the California Highway Patrol will have zero tolerance for "impaired drivers who fail to use a designated sober driver," Redlands spokesman Carl Baker said.

Police reminders for safe celebrating include:

"Remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely."

The May 5 date for Cinco de Mayo marks El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla in 1862, when Mexican forces defeated French forces in Central Mexico. It has evolved into a celebration observed in communities across the United States as well as south of the border.