The Sacramento Police Department will conduct a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint on Saturday, May 24, 2014, at Broadway near 21^st Street. The checkpoint will begin at 8:00 p.m. and run for 5-7 hours. This checkpoint will be dedicated to the victims of injury and fatal DUI collisions that have occurred in our region. With the assistance of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Sacramento Law Enforcement Chaplaincy, we will have a dedication ceremony and additional education materials/media on hand.

In California, this deadly crime led to 802 deaths in 2012 because someone failed to designate a sober driver.  Nationally, the latest data shows nearly 10,000 were killed by an impaired driver. “Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions in the City of Sacramento have claimed 19 lives and injured 825 members of our community,” said Sergeant Chris Prince.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment with officers checking drivers for proper licensing delaying motorists only momentarily.  When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.  Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems.  A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent).  Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.  Nearly 90 percent of California drivers approve of DUI checkpoints.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000 not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

 Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Please direct any inquiries to Sergeant Chris Prince at (916) 808-6069. Media is encouraged to attend the checkpoint to provide public awareness of the impacts of impaired driving.