By Lookout Staff

March 18, 2026 -- You didn't have to be pulled over by an officer to take a breathalyzer test on Tuesday. You could have been invited to take one at a local restaurant or bar.

From 3 to 10 p.m., Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) officers visited local bars and restaurants throughout the city as part of a new “Know Your Limit” campaign being launched by law enforcement agencies statewide.

The proactive program "raises awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving" and aims "to educate customers on the importance of monitoring how much they drink," police officials said.

Officers asked volunteers how many drinks they had consumed and whether they believed they were still able to drive safely.

They then invited the customers to take a breathalyzer test to see if they were "able to guess their blood alcohol content (BAC)," officials said.

Customers could then see "how much, or little, it can take to reach the legal limit to operate a vehicle."

Police officials note that it is illegal for anyone 21 or older to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% or higher.

According to the California Driver Handbook, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a woman between 120 and 160 pounds and three drinks by a man between 180 and 220 pounds to be over the legal limit.

One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40% alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5% alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol). The BAC lowers at a rate of .01% for every 40 minutes between drinks.

"The goal is to help people understand the effects of alcohol so they can make smart decisions about how they get home," police officials said.

"It only takes a few drinks to impair, and that’s why it is important that people know their limit."

The average cost of a first-time DUI offense is approximately $13,500, "accounting for vehicle impound fees, fines, attorney fees, auto insurance hikes and other penalties," officials said.

An investigation last year by CalMatters found that "alcohol-related roadway deaths have shot up by more than 50 percent" in California over the past decade, "an increase more than twice as steep as the rest of the country."

The investigation by the nonprofit news organization attributed the increase to California's DUI laws, which are among the weakest in the nation, and to "courts and lawmakers (that) don't treat DUI deaths as violent crimes."

According to report published last November, "The state gives repeat drunk drivers their licenses back faster than other states" and drivers who lose their license "stay on the road for years -- racking up more tickets or new DUIs."

Unlike other states, California doesn't require first-time drunk drivers to "use in-car breathalyzers that a driver needs to blow into for the vehicle to start."

In addition to the “Know Your Limit” program, SMPD holds DUI checkpoints at undisclosed locations to crack down on motorists driving under the influence.

Funding for the “Know Your Limit” program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.