The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is cranking up its efforts against drunk driving, with a DUI checkpoint planned for December 8, according to a release from the office. Slated to run from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am at an undisclosed location in the Temecula hotspots, law enforcement will be targeting inebriated drivers who pose a threat to the safety of innocent civilians, according to the statement released by Sergeant Joey Sinz. The checkpoint's placement is strategic, chosen based on troubling crash data related to alcohol impairment.

Deputy Frank Opice, vocal on the significance of such measures, was noted saying, "Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk." Emphasizing the benefits, he continued, "Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety." This got revealed amidst conversations engendering from the office's vigilant stance on drunk and drugged driving prevention, as per the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Providing a sobering reminder through the Sheriff's announcement, impaired driving comes with hefty consequences, including an average rake of $13,500 in fines and penalties and a suspended license for first-time offenders. And it's not just the bottle that cops are watching for. The Sheriff's Office is casting a wider net, reminding drivers that the cloud of impairment also encompasses legal substances like prescription drugs and marijuana, dismissing the myth that DUI checks are a one-trick pony fixated solely on alcohol.

The life-saving initiative comes with a fiscal boost, benefiting from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.