BEVERLY HILLS—The Beverly Hills Police Department Traffic Bureau will be conducting a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint on Tuesday, March 17 at N. Santa Monica Blvd. and Crescent Dr. The checkpoint will be operational from approximately 6 p.m. and conclude at approximately 11 p.m.
All traffic will pass through the checkpoint. Motorists will be stopped and contacted by uniformed officers who will check for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check that 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,” Chief Mark G. Stainbrook said. “Any preventative measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”
The BHPD 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