DUI Checkpoint Announced For Beaumont

BEAUMONT, CA — The Beaumont Police Department will be holding a DUI checkpoint in the city Friday night, it was announced.

The Driving Under the Influence/Driver's License Checkpoint is scheduled from 6 p.m. to midnight at an undisclosed location within the city, according to the department.

During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (including prescription medications). Officers will also be checking licensing.

Drivers who take prescription drugs, particularly those with a "driving or operating machinery" label warning, might be impaired enough to get a DUI, the department warned. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI, too.

The Beaumont Police Department offered these reminders to prevent a DUI:
• Always use a designated sober driver — a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation — to get home.
• Take keys away from impaired drivers and help make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
• Call 911 to report drunken/drugged drivers.
• For those hosting parties or get-togethers, offer nonalcoholic drinks. For guests who do drink alcohol, monitor how they will get home.

Motorists caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect to pay upward of $13,500. The amount includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses — not to mention possible jail time.