Police on lookout for drunk drivers in this Sacramento County city. Here’s when and where
Police will be on the lookout for drunk drivers in the Sacramento area.
Officers with the Rancho Cordova Police Department will conduct a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint in an undisclosed location in the Sacramento County city, the agency said Tuesday in a Facebook post.
Rancho Cordova police said DUI checkpoint locations are selected based on “data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes.”
“The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints are to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road,” the agency said in the Facebook post.
Here’s what to know:
When is DUI checkpoint in Sacramento County?
Rancho Cordova police officers will operate the checkpoint from 7 p.m. on Friday, March 14, through 2 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, the agency said.
What is considered impaired driving?
In addition to watching for drunk drivers, police will be on the lookout for drivers under the influence of substances other than alcohol.
“Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving,” the Rancho Cordova Police Department said. “While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.”
Law enforcement agencies are legally required to notify the public of DUI checkpoints ahead of time.
Funding for the DUI checkpoint program was provided by 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 the Law Offices of Grech and Parker in Riverside.
These tests are subjective and may not accurately measure sobriety, the Southern California law firm said.
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 penalties 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 face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
