Authorities will conduct drunken driver checkpoints in Stanislaus County this weekend
Law enforcement agencies will be looking out for intoxicated drivers this weekend.
California Highway Patrol said in a news release it will conduct a DUI and drivers license checkpoint in north Modesto on Saturday night and early Sunday.
Officers will run the checkpoint from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. in an unincorporated area, looking for signs of alcohol and drug impairment.
“Research shows that crashes involving an impaired driver can be reduced by up to 20 percent when well-publicized DUI checkpoints and proactive DUI patrols are conducted routinely,” the news release said.
The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department also plans a DUI checkpoint Saturday. The sheriff’s office did not disclose the time or location other than it’s “somewhere within the county.”
Deputies will stop and arrest drunken drivers in an effort to keep roads and the community safe, the Sheriff’s Department said.
“Drunk drivers often face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, having car towed, collision repair and lost wages due to time off from work,” according to a news release.
Authorities said a single drink can impair a driver’s judgment, increasing the risk of a collision and DUI arrest. The Sheriff’s Department checkpoint is funded through a grant from the California Cannabis Tax Fund.
The CHP cited statistics that 21% of the 3,804 traffic fatalities in California in 2018 were caused by driving under the influence.
People who will be drinking during holiday parties should not drive. They should designate a sober driver before the party begins, call a taxi, get a ride from a sober friend or family member or take public transportation.
