The Morgan Hill Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the city limits from 6pm Dec. 6 to 2am Dec. 7, the department announced this week.
DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data that show where incidents of impaired driving crashes are most frequent, says a press release from MPHD.
The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints are to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road, police said.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Morgan Hill Police Chief Shane Palsgrove said. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”
MHPD also reminded the public that impaired driving can be caused by some prescription medications as well as over-the-counter drugs, in addition to alcohol consumption. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license, police said.
Funding for the DUI checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
