CHP to conduct DUI checkpoint in Sacramento County. Here’s when

Law enforcement will hold a DUI checkpoint starting Friday evening in Sacramento County.

California Highway Patrol officers with the East Sacramento office, based in Rancho Cordova, will be stationed at an undisclosed location within the unincorporated area of eastern Sacramento County on Friday, according to a news release.

The checkpoint will operate from 8 p.m. to midnight. The CHP will release the exact location of the checkpoint between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

CHP chooses checkpoint locations based on previous impaired driving-related arrests and crashes, the release said.

“The CHP’s goal is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist,” CHP said in the release. “A sobriety checkpoint is a proven effective tool for achieving this goal.”

Law enforcement is legally required to notify the public of DUI checkpoints ahead of the event.

Do I have to comply with law enforcement at a DUI checkpoint?

California Vehicle Code 2814.2 says all drivers must stop and submit to a sobriety checkpoint inspection when law enforcement requires it.

However, a driver is not legally obligated to submit to field sobriety tests, pre-arrest breath tests, or cheek swabs at a DUI checkpoint, according to Shouse California Law Group.

Can I avoid a DUI checkpoint?

If the driver has not yet been stopped by law enforcement, there are ways they can avoid the checkpoint.

There is no state or federal law that prohibits someone from turning around or finding another route — as long as it is safe to do so — to avoid a DUI checkpoint, according to Shouse California Law Group.

Read more: Do I have to comply with law enforcement at a DUI checkpoint? See what California law says

What are the penalties for driving under the influence?

If you are stopped by law enforcement for driving under the influence, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has the authority to revoke or suspend your driving privilege.

Drivers charged with a first-time DUI can also face an average of $13,500 in fines, fees and more.

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