The Long Beach Police Department arrested two people on suspicion of driving under the influence on Friday, March 18 during a scheduled DUI checkpoint in Long Beach’s West Division, police said Monday.
Additionally, 16 people were cited for driving without a license or with a license that was suspended or revoked.
Over 1,200 vehicles drove through the checkpoint held at Pacific Coast Highway and Daisy Avenue from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Of the 1,200 vehicles, police screened 375.
Drivers charged with operating a vehicle while impaired may face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license. In addition to alcohol, prescription drugs such as pills and marijuana can affect someone’s driving ability, police say.
In Long Beach in 2020, 14 people died in DUI-related traffic incidents, police said. While the exact numbers for 2021 have not been released, traffic fatalities jumped 15% statewide, though not all were linked to impaired driving. In December, prosecutors in California warned of a surge in deadly DUI across seven counties.
Funding for this checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.