Novato PD To Hold DUI Checkpoint

NOVATO, CA — A DUI checkpoint will be held in Novato at 6 p.m. Friday at an unspecified location, police said.

Checkpoint locations are chosen based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests, and officers at the checkpoint will look for signs of impairment, police said.

The main goal of checkpoints is to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired — not to make arrests — according to police.

“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” police Sgt Reza Pourfarhani said in a statement.

“Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety.”

Impaired driving includes some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs that may interfere with driving, police said.

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

This program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.