3 DUI Checkpoints Planned Across San Diego County

SAN DIEGO, CA — Drivers should expect multiple DUI checkpoints Friday night across San Diego County.

The La Mesa Police Department will conduct a checkpoint from 7 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday at 7000 University Ave. in La Mesa.

The Escondido Police Department will hold a checkpoint from 5 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday at an undisclosed location in Escondido.

The California Highway Patrol will operate a DUI and driver's license checkpoint from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday in an unincorporated area of San Diego. The exact location was not disclosed.

The checkpoints are intended to identify drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs and remove them from the road. Officers also will check drivers for valid licenses.

Authorities said some prescription and over-the-counter medications can affect a person's ability to drive. Driving under the influence of marijuana is also illegal.

Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

The checkpoints are funded through grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.