Mark your calendars, drivers of Union City, as the Union City Police Department (UCPD) is ramping up efforts to keep the roads safe with a DUI/Driver License Checkpoint on August 31, according to an announcement on the department's Facebook page. This checkpoint is part of a larger initiative targeting impaired drivers, with the placement of these checkpoints based on historical data where impaired driving incidents have been a problem, and they represent a push for greater public safety by removing potential dangers before harm can be done.

Sergeant Steven Fong emphasized the risks of impaired driving, stating, "Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk," and underscoring that such preventive measures carry significant weight in bolstering traffic safety; however, the UCPD also wants to remind everyone that it's not only alcohol that impairs drivers as legal substances such as prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and marijuana, despite its legal status for medicinal and recreational uses, can also impair driving abilities and their consumption prior to driving is illegal. Some might forget the weight of a DUI charge, which, for first-timers, can topple the scales at around $13,500 in fines and penalties, not to mention a suspended license, which can be a heavy drag on one's daily logistics.

The funds for this checkpoint and overall program trace back to a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, which in turn taps into the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's wellspring of resources aimed at improving traffic safety across the board.