The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) will hold a checkpoint from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, April 26 in East Long Beach.
Police will be checking for impaired drivers, either from alcohol, marijuana or over-the-counter drugs as well as people driving without a license or an expired license. Checkpoint locations are chosen based on data showing where accidents due to impaired driving occur, according to a press release from the LBPD.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Lieutenant Jose Flores said in the press release. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety.”
The LBPD reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
