The Santa Clara Police Department, in partnership with the California Office of Traffic Safety, will be conducting a Driving Under the Influence and Driver's License Checkpoint on Monday, December 20 from approximately 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the south east part of the city. The goal of the checkpoint is to educate motorists about the dangers of impaired driving, and to ensure the safety of our community by removing unlicensed and impaired drivers off our city's streets.
The U.S. Supreme Court has held that DUI checkpoints do meet the constitutional standard for “reasonable search and seizure." Whereas, the California Supreme Court has held that DUI checkpoints are “administrative inspections,” similar to airport screenings. As a result, a sobriety checkpoint is considered by the courts as an “administrative procedure” rather than a criminal police stop. In turn, sobriety checkpoints are an exception to the Fourth Amendment rule that an officer must have probable cause or reasonable suspicious to initiate a DUI investigation.
During the stop, officers look for signs of alcohol or drug impairment such as the smell of alcohol in the car, bloodshot eyes, smelling marijuana in the car, slurred speech, or even the driver admitting to drinking alcohol. Checkpoints also result in citations for issues with vehicle registration, driver’s licenses, car insurance, etc.
Announcement of the upcoming Driving Under the Influence and Driver's License Checkpoint is required to comply with state law requirements. Prior announcement, and the visibility of a sobriety checkpoint taking place, also serve as a powerful deterrent to motorists.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
