Law enforcement will be on lookout for drunk drivers in SLO. Here’s when
The San Luis Obispo Police Department and California Highway Patrol will be on the lookout for drunk drivers ahead of St. Patrick’s Day.
Law enforcement officers will set up a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint at an undisclosed location within San Luis Obispo city limits, police said in a news release.
The location of the checkpoint was chosen based on data related to crashes involving impaired drivers, according to the SLO Police Department.
It’s aimed at keeping drivers suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs off the road during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday weekend, the release said.
“Everyone needs to make a plan about how they will get to where they are going before they start drinking,’ SLO police Sgt. Joshua Walsh said. “Waiting until after drinking to make a plan about how to get home often results in taking unnecessary risks.”
“Any prevention measures that deter impaired persons from driving improves traffic safety for everyone,” Walsh said.
When is DUI checkpoint?
Police will be searching for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs between 8 p.m. Friday and midnight, according to a police department news release.
What is considered impaired driving?
In addition to drunk driving, impaired driving includes the use of medications, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, that could interfere with driving.
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 the Law Offices of Grech and Parker in Riverside.
Can I avoid a drunk driving checkpoint?
If a 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.
What are the penalties for a DUI?
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.
