CHP on the lookout for drunk drivers in Sacramento area. Here’s when and where
The California Highway Patrol will be on the lookout for drunk drivers in the Sacramento region — as well as those without proper identification.
Officers with the CHP’s South Sacramento area office will conduct a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint on westbound Florin Road, west of Florin Mall drive within the unincorporated area of Sacramento County, the agency said Saturday in an updated news release.
CHP officers at the checkpoint will focus on “enforcement and education, warning drivers of the dangers of drinking and driving,” the release said.
DUI checkpoint locations are based on data collected involving impaired driving-related crashes, according to previous reporting by The Sacramento Bee.
When is DUI checkpoint in South Sacramento?
The CHP will conduct the DUI and driver’s license checkpoint on Saturday, May 3. On Saturday, officers said the checkpoint would be held on westbound Florin Road, west of Florin Mall drive within the unincorporated area of Sacramento County.
Funding for the CHP’s DUI checkpoint program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The division’s jurisdiction, which spans more than 500 square miles, includes all of Sacramento south of the American River, including downtown, East Sacramento and Meadowview, as well as Elk Grove, Galt and the Delta.
What is considered impaired driving?
In addition to drunk drivers, CHP officers will be on the lookout for motorists under the influence of substances other than alcohol.
Cannabis, illegal drugs, prescription drugs and even over-the-counter medications can also “affect your ability to drive safely and react to what you see and hear,” the California Department of Motor Vehicles said on its website.
Although medicinal and recreational marijuana use is legal in California, driving under the influence of marijuana is against the law.
Do I have to comply with police at DUI checkpoints?
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 a field sobriety test, pre-arrest test or cheek swab at a DUI checkpoint, according to the Law Offices of Grech and Parker in Riverside.
Field sobriety tests are subjective and may not accurately measure sobriety, according to Bee archives.
“A police officer’s opinion can be influenced, and it’s possible that the tests were not conducted exactly according to protocol,” said Cron, Israels & Stark Attorneys at Law, which has offices in Los Angeles and Santa Monica.
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 driver’s license.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties.
This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 1:03 PM.
