BEVERLY HILLS—The Beverly Hills Police Department Traffic Bureau announced on Tuesday, October 14 that it will be conducting a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint on Friday, October 24, in the area of North Santa Monica Boulevard and Crescent Drive.
The checkpoint will be operational from approximately 8 p.m. and will conclude at approximately 2 a.m. All traffic will pass through the checkpoint. Motorists will be stopped and contacted by uniformed officers, who will be checking for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check to make sure all contacted drivers have a valid driver’s license.
DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” said Chief Mark G. Stainbrook. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”
The Beverly Hills Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
Funding for impaired driving enforcement operations is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
By Danny Jones