DUI checkpoint planned in Sacramento County. Here’s when and where
The California Highway Patrol will be on the lookout for drunk drivers in the Sacramento area.
Officers with the CHP’s East Sacramento office will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in an “unincorporated area” of Sacramento County on Saturday, May 17, the agency said in a news release.
The office’s jurisdiction in the eastern section of the county includes Rancho Cordova, Folsom and the area along Jackson Road near Rancho Murieta.
“A sobriety checkpoint is a proven effective tool for achieving this goal and is designed to augment existing patrol operations,” the CHP said in the release.
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.
When is DUI checkpoint in Sacramento County?
The CHP will conduct the DUI checkpoint from 8 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, according to the release.
Where will CHP officers be on lookout for drunk drivers?
The CHP will make the exact location of the sobriety checkpoint location public two hours prior to the checkpoint.
DUI checkpoint locations are based on data collected involving impaired driving-related crashes, according to previous reporting by The Sacramento Bee.
“The CHP’s goal is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of impaired driving-related arrests and/or traffic crashes,” the agency said in the release.
What is impaired driving under California law?
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 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.
