LAKE COUNTY — The California Highway Patrol will conduct a sobriety checkpoint on Saturday in Lake County at an undisclosed location between the hours of 6 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to CHP Area Commander Lt. Dane Hayward.
Sobriety checkpoints will be staffed by CHP and allied agency officers who are trained in the detection of alcohol and drug impaired drivers. Drug recognition experts, certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will be on site to provide on-the-spot assessments of drivers suspected of drug use. The officers will also be equipped with state of the art hand-held breath devices which provide an accurate measure of blood alcohol concentrations of suspected drunk drivers, CHP said.
“Our goal is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of drunk driving. A sobriety checkpoint is an effective tool for achieving this goal and is designed to augment existing patrol operations. By publicizing our efforts, we believe that we can deter motorists from drinking and driving,” said Lt. Hayward.
Lt. Hayward said that traffic volume permitting, all vehicles will be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or those who are unlicensed, can expect to be arrested. “Our objective is to send a clear message to those deciding to drive while impaired,” he said.
