Elk Grove police will launch DUI checkpoints this holiday season. When’s the first one?
The Elk Grove Police Department wants to ensure that drivers are practicing safe driving habits during this holiday season.
Officers will be patrolling the city at an undisclosed location and conducting sobriety checkpoints, beginning with one 7 p.m. Friday from to 3 a.m. Saturday, according to a department news release.
The effort to increase enforcement is a part of a national campaign called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” which is expected to last through New Year’s Day.
“The goal of these checkpoints is about simply deterring someone who is impaired from getting behind the wheel,” said Sgt. Jason Jimenez, a spokesperson for Police Department. “There are way too many options now to get home safely. The decision to drive impaired is an irresponsible one, one where you are putting yourself and others at risk that could have lifelong impacts. We want everyone to enjoy the holidays with family and friends safely.”
Elk Grove police will be looking for drivers who are suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs or illegal substances.
The checkpoints will focus on getting impaired drivers and unlicensed drivers removed from the roads, according to Jimenez. Officers will also hand out educational information to motorists regarding the harms of driving under the influence.
The Police Department is encouraging everyone to stay in for the night, identify a designated driver or use a ride-sharing service if plans are expected to include consuming alcohol or other substances.
In November, Elk Grove police announced $300,000 in grant funds to help implement this campaign from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
According to the NHTSA, about 37 people in the United States die everyday in drunk-driving crashes. A NHTSA report showed that 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving collisions, a 14% increase from 2020.