Police are planning a DUI checkpoint in SLO County. Here’s when and where
Police will be on the lookout for drunk drivers this week in San Luis Obispo.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department will conduct a checkpoint to catch people driving under the influence from 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, to 2 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, at an undisclosed location within city limits, the agency said in a news release.
Police select checkpoint locations based on a history of crashes involving drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the release.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” San Luis Obispo police Sgt. Evan Stradley said in the release. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”
In addition to drunk driving, impaired driving includes the use of medications including some prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Although medical and recreational use of cannabis is legal in California, police said, driving under the influence of marijuana is still prohibited.
Funding for the DUI checkpoint program comes from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Do I have to comply with police at DUI checkpoint?
California Vehicle Code 2814.2 says all drivers must stop and submit to a sobriety checkpoint inspection when law enforcement requires it.
However, a driver is not legally obligated to submit to field sobriety tests, pre-arrest breath tests or cheek swabs at a DUI checkpoint, according to Shouse California Law Group.
Read more: Do I have to comply with law enforcement at a DUI checkpoint? See what California law says
Can I avoid a drunk driving checkpoint?
If the driver has not yet been stopped by law enforcement, there are ways they can avoid the checkpoint.
There is no state or federal law that prohibits someone from turning around or finding another route — as long as it is safe to do so — to avoid a DUI checkpoint, according to Shouse California Law Group.
Read more: California driving laws: Red lights, merging, car tags and more. Here are the rules
What are penalties, fines for driving under the influence?
If you are stopped by law enforcement for driving under the influence of intoxicants, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has the authority to revoke or suspend your driving privilege.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI can also face an average of $13,500 in fines, fees and more.
During the checkpoint, officers will “look for signs of impaired drivers that may be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs,” the release said.
In addition to drunk driving, impaired driving includes the use of medications including some prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Although medical and recreational use of cannabis is legal in California, police said, driving under the influence of marijuana is still prohibited.
