SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department’s Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on August 16. The checkpoint will take place at an unspecified location within the city between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.
The checkpoint is implemented to help reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol and/or drug related crashes. According to a press release from the SMPD, research has proved that accidents that are caused by impaired drivers are decreased by 20 percent when highly-publicized; DUI checkpoints and proactive DUI patrols are conducted routinely.
Officials will be looking for objective signs of alcohol or drug impairment and to confirm that motorists have a valid driver’s license in possession. The location has been selected with the safety considerations for officers and the public.
“Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions in Santa Monica have claimed 1 life and resulted in 67 collisions injuring 95 of our friends and neighbors,” said Sergeant Rubish.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints are considered the most effective, documented results of any DUI enforcement strategies. Checkpoints are cost-effective, saving $6 for every $1 spent. More than 90 percent of California drivers approve DUI checkpoints.
Drivers who are arrested during the checkpoint while driving impaired can face jail time, fines, fees, court mandated classes, and incidental expenses that can exceed $10,000.
Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Santa Monica Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which along with the Police Department would like to remind everyone to call 9-1-1 to report drunk drivers.
