With Christmas a little over a week away, cities across the United States are preparing for major road issues. Not only is traffic expected to be at a high point, but also many local officials anticipate an increase in cases of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In order to combat this, Sacramento and its surrounding areas have announced plans to have several checkpoints and lookout spots to catch drunk drivers, starting this weekend.
One local area that has already announced its plans is the city of Rocklin.
Located a little over 20 miles outside of Sacramento, Rocklin is gearing up for increased holiday drunk driving. The Rocklin Police Department announced that they will be having a sobriety checkpoint somewhere within the city limits. They did not give the exact location as they know that will encourage all drivers to simply avoid the area. However, they did confirm that the location of any checkpoints that they set up is based on statistics showcasing the number of incidents that have occurred in certain areas. They set up the checkpoints in places with a history of high drunk driving incidents.
In a press release, the Rocklin police Lieutenant, Chris Osborn, stated that the prevention measures are put into place because of the significant risk impaired driving poses. He explained that the checkpoint’s goal is to reduce the number of impaired and drunk drivers that are on the road in order to improve traffic safety.
According to their reports, the checkpoint will be active starting this Friday, December 20 at 6 p.m. through to Saturday, December 21 at 2 a.m. Even though the checkpoint is only active for a few hours the weekend before Christmas, many are hopeful that it will serve as a general deterrent from driving while under the influence for the next week or so.
While Christmas does cause an increase in intoxicated driving, the biggest concern is New Year’s Eve and Day.
Rocklin and other Sacramento surrounding cities have not yet announced if they have plans for checkpoints around New Year’s, but we can expect an uptick in officers on duty and other preventative measures being implemented, if not checkpoints. Cities usually spend the several weeks leading up to this holiday season preparing for the more dangerous road conditions.
If you come across the checkpoint, here’s what you need to know.
Per California law, all drivers must stop and submit to a sobriety checkpoint inspection when law enforcement is requiring it. This differs from typical drunk driving stops, as legally drivers do not have to submit to a field sobriety test if they are pulled over for a suspected DUI. Technically, when approaching a sobriety checkpoint, drivers do not have to stop until officers approach them. If they see the checkpoint and can legally and safely go in another direction, they are allowed to change their route.
If a driver is caught under the influence when at a checkpoint, the penalty differs depending on the circumstances. For first time offenders, there is a steep fine that must be paid, and a DUI program must be completed. For instances of high severity or drivers with many DUIs to their name, the penalties may be more significant. In order to avoid these penalties, avoid driving under the influence. Plan ahead and use rideshare programs or have a designated sober driver in your party.