According to a recent article appearing on the Malibu Times website, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has announced that it will be holding a DUI checkpoint in Malibu on Saturday, March 26.
The LACSD released a statement indicating that the DUI checkpoint would be held at an undisclosed location in Malibu from 600 p.m. on Saturday to 2:000 a.m. on Sunday, March 27.
It’s a widely held belief that law enforcement agencies conduct checkpoints simply to make an established quota of tickets and arrests. Officials insist that the real reason that police and sheriff’s departments conduct DUI and licensing checkpoints is to ensure public safety. Taking intoxicated, impaired, and unlicensed drivers off the road helps to achieve that goal.
A DUI citation is not limited to those who consume alcohol. Narcotics, prescription, and over-the-counter drugs can also cause intoxication and affect a motorist’s ability to drive safely.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Sergeant Hill with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said in a recent press release. “Any prevention measures that reduces the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves public safety.”
Law enforcement agencies throughout California determine checkpoints based on where accidents and arrests have occurred in the past.
Even first-time DUI offenders can face significant fines and penalties if convicted of the charge. In California, a DUI conviction will carry a $13,500 fine, court costs, other penalties, and a suspension of their driver’s license.