The Long Beach Police Department will be out in force Friday night looking for impaired and unlicensed drivers in North Long Beach, officials announced.
Police officers will be stationed at a checkpoint somewhere in the department’s North Division—which includes Bixby Knolls, Cal Heights and North Long Beach— between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.
“Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with officers checking drivers for proper licensing, delaying motorists only momentarily,” the department said.
The department noted that California has had an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes in recent years and is trying to educate the public that a DUI can include driving under the influence of prescription drugs (with a warning about operating machinery), marijuana and small amounts of either in combination with alcohol.
According to the department, DUI checkpoints and increased high visibility patrols have proven to lower the number of people killed in impaired crashes.
“DUI checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, affording the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence,” the department said.
In Long Beach, police have investigated more than 1,000 DUI collisions over the past three years, which have killed 18 people and injured 400 more.
The LBPD reminds people to:
- Decide beforehand whether they plan to drink or drive.
- Designate a sober driver before going out or plan another safe way to get home by taxi, ride-share or public transit.
- Take the keys of an impaired person trying to drive and help them make other arrangements.
- Report drunk drivers by calling 911.