DUI Checkpoint Planned Friday Night In Hermosa Beach

HERMOSA BEACH, CA — Drivers in Hermosa Beach could encounter a DUI and driver's-license checkpoint Friday night as police step up enforcement against impaired driving.

The Hermosa Beach Police Department said the checkpoint will operate from 7 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. Saturday at an undisclosed location.

Police said checkpoint locations are selected using data showing where impaired-driving crashes have occurred, with the goal of improving traffic safety and removing suspected impaired drivers from the road.

“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Sgt. Dadigan said in the department's announcement. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”

Police also reminded motorists that impaired driving is not limited to alcohol.

Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can interfere with a person's ability to drive safely, and although medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal in California, driving while impaired by marijuana remains illegal.

The California Office of Traffic Safety similarly warns that drivers can be arrested for DUI when impaired by prescription medication, over-the-counter drugs or marijuana as well as alcohol.

HBPD said drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, along with a suspended driver's license. California traffic-safety officials have estimated the overall financial impact of a DUI at about $13,500 when costs such as insurance increases, attorney and legal fees and licensing restrictions are included.

Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a California Office of Traffic Safety grant through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

More information about impaired driving is available from the California Office of Traffic Safety and information about the Hermosa Beach Police Department is available on the city's website.

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