A DUI checkpoint was in operation Friday evening in Desert Hot Springs.
The checkpoint began operating at 6 p.m. and is scheduled to continue until 1 a.m. Saturday in an undisclosed part of the city where DUI crashes and arrests are common, according to the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.
“The safety of our community is and always will be our mission,” Chief Jim Henson said. “We are still out there in the middle of a pandemic because driving under the influence is still dangerous and puts a further strain on critical resources.”
Police said they will search for motorists driving under the influence of any impairing substance, not just alcohol.
Drivers taking prescription drugs, particularly those with labeled warnings about driving or operating machinery, may also become impaired enough to get a DUI arrest.
Marijuana can also be an impairment, police said, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI arrest.
DUI arrests can lead to jail time and cost motorists up to $13,500 in fines, fees, classes, license suspension and other expenses.
The checkpoint is being funded through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.