With the Christmas weekend at hand, La Mesa police will conduct a DUI checkpoint at an undisclosed location beginning Friday at 2 p.m. through Saturday at 2 a.m., the department announced Tuesday.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” La Mesa Police Chief Ray Sweeney said in a statement.
“Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety. The goal of the city of La Mesa’s Vision Zero Plan is to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by 2025. This DUI checkpoint is part of that effort.”
Police reminded the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol — but can also result from the use of marijuana and prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Those convicted for a first time of driving under the influence face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license, the departed noted.
DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes.
Funding for the La Mesa program came from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
City News Service contributed to this article.
