Inebriated drivers beware: the Thousand Oaks Police Department will be out looking for you Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
The department will conduct a DUI/drivers license checkpoint at an undisclosed location within the city limits between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
So why tell people about it? According to the police department, the deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of person killed and injured in alcohol or drug-involved crashes. Research, the department says, shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.
Officers will be checking for signs of alcohol or drug impairment in drivers passing through the checkpoint. As well, they will check for proper licensing.
The police department anticipates only momentary traffic delays.
"Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension and insurance increases as well as fines, fees, DUI classes and other expenses that can exceed $10,000," according to a statement released by TOPD.
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