The Antelope Valley Times

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DUI Checkpoint in Palmdale this Friday

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PALMDALE – The Palmdale Sheriff’s Station Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI Checkpoint on Friday, Jan. 18, at an undisclosed location within the city limits, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint for signs of alcohol and drug impairment.  Officers will also check drivers for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily.

When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.  Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

“Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed 6 lives and resulted in 89 injury crashes harming 138 of our friends and neighbors,” said Palmdale Sheriff’s Station traffic unit Sergeant Mark Johnston

DUI checkpoints are a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug involved crashes, according to sheriff’s officials. Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.  Based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence.  Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.

“DUI Checkpoints have been an essential part of the phenomenal reduction in DUI deaths that we witnessed since 2006 in California,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the Office of Traffic Safety.  “But since the tragedy of DUI accounts for nearly one third of traffic fatalities, the city of Palmdale needs the high visibility enforcement and public awareness that checkpoints provide.”

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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10 comments for "DUI Checkpoint in Palmdale this Friday"

  2. Lol…ppl get ya drank on but keep da streets safe stay home or get a licensed non drinker to drive u wea u gotta go be safe

  3. I bet the check point will be on Palmdale Blvb and ******. Majority of the time they have the checkpoints at that spot. I agree with stopping drunk drivers because so many people (Adults and Children) have lost their lives behind someone wanting to drink and drive. ##Get Um!!

  5. Any bets on where this Check Point Drunk will be set up?

    I’m betting East Side.

    Maybe they should try fishing for drunks where up scale booze is sold in Palmdale, like over by the mall.

    • Actually the most common spot I know of is down the street from the mall. Seen it there 3 times in the last couple years. Not going to give out the exact location, because if LASD doesn’t want to, there’s no reason I need to give a heads up to the local idiots.

      • RIGHT!! They need more check points like this. Over the last two years there has be numerous drunk driving fatal crashes. Hopefully the people of AV will get the picture and drink at home. However,, this is wishful thinking.

      • Cool then…probably should set up on 10th West and catch all those Lancaster Baptist types drinking on the sly up in Palmdale at the mall loop hooch joints.

    • Since the city has closed all the bars on the east side, best to set-up near the Mall where drinks are $10/each and the prospective perps can afford to pay the tickets.

      • Back in the day(90’s) they could have set up @ K and Sierra Highway and made a fortune.We would start at Maxim Plum and travel down Sierra, D.I. to the AVI and back.They all had bands and cheap booze.