Police officers will be screening vehicles and looking for intoxicated drivers Friday evening in Palm Springs.
The Palm Springs Police Department will operate the DUI checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the city limits, beginning at 9 p.m. and continuing until about 2 a.m.
Officers will be searching for motorists driving under the influence of any impairing substance, not just alcohol. Marijuana can also lead to a DUI, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
Officers conducted a checkpoint earlier this month in the 3100 block of North Indian Canyon Drive and screened 565 vehicles. Nobody was arrested on suspicion of DUI, but one person was arrested on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm and five drivers were cited for driving while unlicensed or with a suspended license.
In recent years, California has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. Checkpoint locations are chosen based on historical data related to DUI crashes and arrests, and are funded by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Those arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can spend time in jail and pay up to $13,500, including fines, fees, classes, license suspensions and other expenses.