Saturation patrols throughout valley look to keep drunken drivers off the road after Super Bowl

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 | 1:24 p.m.

Southern Nevada law enforcement agencies announced saturation patrols for Super Bowl Sunday, warning football fans to find designated drivers if they plan to drink alcohol.

Henderson, North Las Vegas, Metro, Nevada Highway Patrol and Boulder City officers will be adding extra patrols to keep impaired drivers off the road, officials said.

That’s in addition to a sobriety checkpoint west of Interstate 15 planned for Sunday afternoon and night. The DUI checkpoint — targeting both drug- and alcohol-impaired drivers — will run from 4 p.m. Sunday to 3 a.m. Monday near Flamingo Road and Decatur Boulevard, Metro Police said.

A heavy law enforcement presence will surround the checkpoint, bound by Tropicana Avenue to the south, Desert Inn Road to the north, Valley View Boulevard to the east and Rainbow Boulevard to the west.

Police said drug recognition expert officers, meaning those who have undergone training to identify people impaired by drugs, will be at the checkpoint. Authorities chose the location, in part, based on previous successful DUI checkpoints in the area.

Authorities advise people to predetermine a sober driver before the football game begins.

Police also asked party hosts to stop serving alcoholic drinks at some point during the game, such as the end of the third quarter. That coincides with when NFL stadiums halt beer sales at games.

A grant from the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety helps fund the DUI checkpoint and saturation patrol events.

Last year, one person was killed in a car accident on Super Bowl Sunday in Clark County, authorities said.