Arroyo Grande police to hold DUI checkpoint Friday night

August 22, 2024

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

For the second time this month, Arroyo Grande police plan to conduct a DUI checkpoint in the South County city. Police will conduct the checkpoint at an undisclosed location from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday.

The police department selects the location based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. Officers check licenses and insurance while looking for signs of impairment.

“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Arroyo Grande Police Chief Michael Martinez said. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety.”

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

The Arroyo Grande Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not only because of alcohol. Certain prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving, police said. Likewise, while medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal. 

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

A couple weeks ago, Arroyo Grand police conducted a DUI checkpoint on the night of Aug. 9.