DUI checkpoint planned in Sacramento region. Here’s where and when
Law enforcement officers will be on the lookout for drunk drivers in the Sacramento region.
The Sutter County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a DUI checkpoint at an “undisclosed location” in the city of Yuba City on Friday, May 9, the agency said in a news release.
“DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The agency said sobriety checkpoints are intended to “promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road.”
When is DUI checkpoint in Sutter County?
The Sheriff’s Office will operate the sobriety checkpoint from 7 p.m. Friday, May 9, to 2 a.m. Saturday, May 10.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
What is impaired driving under California law?
“Impaired driving is not just from alcohol,” the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office said in the release. “Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving.”
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 sobriety 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 can also face an average of $13,500 in fines, fees and more.
