The Arizona Department of Liquor has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the DUI Abatement Council, which is administered by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. They were also awarded a $96,100 grant to work on education among teenagers about the dangers of impaired driving with the goal of reducing the number of people killed or injured in DUI crashes on Arizona highways. This grant was awarded by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The legal drinking age is 21 years old. Most people know it, but some teens bend the rules.
"There's lots and lots of consequences to utilizing these fake IDs that these kids just think, 'I just want to party,'" said Detective Risa Williams with the Arizona Department of Liquor.
Underage violators could lose their licenses for six months. But, far worse - they could hurt themselves or someone else.
It is a big problem on Arizona roadways. The latest data from the Arizona Department of Transportation finds more than 380 people died in impairment-related crashes last year. That accounted for more than 30% of deadly crashes in our state for the year.
"When underage (people) consume alcohol, they don't make the smartest choices," said Det. Williams.
She has been scanning for fake IDs for more than a decade as she wants to change the course of those devastating statistics.
Some of the grant funding will be used to help train people at bars, concerts, colleges, and more to spot a fake ID. Detective Williams explained to Operation Safe Roads that there are dozens of discrepancies that be a giveaway that an ID is a fraud. The more people that can spot it, the better.
"It's really hard for an untrained eye to know what they're looking for... the IDs have just advanced like technology over the last 10 years," Det. Williams said.
The funding has also been utilized to make this important mission more mobile. The department took ABC15 into their new mobile command van.
"This is kind of perfect timing," said Thompson to Detective Luis Samudio.
"Exactly," he quickly responded. "This came at a great time. I could see where the department, the agency has enhanced some of their visuals and things to get us identified as an agency."
The Valley is planning to host multiple large-scale events, like the WM Phoenix Open and the Super Bowl.
"And a lot of times when the golf open... when it comes up every year - that's a whole week event," Det. Samudio explained. "So, a lot of times - we can simply just park the van there and make everybody aware that we're here... assisting, or collaborating with the other agencies, as well... we're here to protect everyone. We have to come together to work together."
It is equipped with flashing lights, logos to help identify the agency, air conditioning, seating, internet access, and more. Detective Samudio said this will let them keep working to keep partying from spilling into the streets.
To learn more about the department's prevention work, click here.
Have a road issue or a question for Operation Safe Roads? Call 833-AZ-ROADS or email roads@abc15.com.