DUI checkpoint set for Super Bowl Sunday

Starting at 8 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, the Porterville Police Department will conduct a driving under the influence/drivers license checkpoint in Porterville.

It is one of several planned throughout the year.

According to a news release issued Wednesday by the department, the checkpoints serve as a deterrent with the goal of removing impaired drivers from the road and heightening awareness of the dangers of drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs.

“Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and impaired driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public,” the news release states.

According to statistics provided by the state Office of Traffic Safety, in 2009 alone, 950 people died in California in crashes where the driver was at or above the legal limit.

The age group with the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes was between 21 and 24.  

The PPD recommends the following tips if you plan on drinking:

- Designate a sober driver before the outing begins
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast
- If there is not a designated driver, call a cab, a friend, or a family member for a ride home
- Never let a friend get behind the wheel if they are about to drive while impaired
- Buckle up, it’s the best defense against impaired drivers

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.

Those arrested for DUI will face jail time, loss of their driver’s license, or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Their insurance rates may also go up. Other financial hits include attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work and the potential loss of job or job prospects.

The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the state OTS, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.