RivCo DUI Checkpoint Friday: Officers Talk Fines, License Suspension

PERRIS, CA — What will it take you to stay sober behind the wheel? In Perris, the penalties are enough to do it, if your good sense doesn't guide you to hire a rideshare or have a designated driver.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Perris Station, is slated to hold a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Checkpoint at an undisclosed location between 8 p.m. Friday, July 12 and 2 a.m. Sunday, July 13.

DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road.

Sgt. Jeremy Bracey discussed the reason behind the checkpoints.

“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Bracey said. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”

The Perris Sheriff’s Station reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol.

Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties and a suspended license.

A grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided funding for this program.