For many, Easter weekend marks the official beginning of Spring. The upcoming holiday weekend is also a time for celebration with family and friends. National statistics show Easter is among the deadliest holiday weekends on U.S. roads and highways.
Patch.com reports that the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has announced plans for DUI checkpoints in Temecula and Palm Desert for the Easter holiday weekend.
According to a statement issued by the law enforcement agency, operations in Palm Desert will be conducted from Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Saturday. Patch.com additionally reports that operations for DUI checkpoints in Temecula will be conducted on Friday from 7:00 p.m. until Saturday morning at 1:00 a.m.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has not specified where the DUI checkpoints will be conducted. Checkpoints are determined based on data from past incidents of impaired driving crashes and traffic stops.
Last weekend the RCSD conducted a similar operation resulting in two arrests and 14 citations, including driving without a seatbelt and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
A first-time DUI conviction costs approximately $13,500 in fines and penalties, in addition to the motorist’s driving privileges being suspended for a year.
Funding for the checkpoints is provided through the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
