Oceanside's boys in blue are ramping up efforts to curb impaired driving come the New Year. In a recent alert, the Oceanside Police Department has announced plans to deploy a DUI checkpoint on January 5 at a stealthy location within the city limits. The checkpoint is scheduled to operate from the early evening hours of 6 p.m. till the stroke of midnight, according to details released by the department.
The sites selected for these checkpoints aren't random but are strategically chosen to quickly to catch and deter those taking the wheel under the influence, be it from booze or other substances. Sgt. Clint Bussey of the Oceanside Police stressed the rationale behind such checkpoints, stating, “Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk," in a statement obtained by SanDiegoCITD.org. He further emphasized, "Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety."
Legal substances such as prescription meds, over-the-counter drugs, and even legal marijuana can still land you a DUI if they impair your driving ability, authorities warned. And let's not brush off the consequences—a first-time DUI charge comes with a staggering average bill of $13,500 in fines and penalties, not to mention a suspended driver's license.
