Full Notification

MEDIA RELEASE / COMMUNITY ALERT
For Immediate Release No. 20221207-057
Wednesday, December 7, 2022

San Mateo Police Holding DUI Checkpoint Friday, December 16,
2022
 
San Mateo Calif. – San Mateo Police Department will hold a DUI Checkpoint December 16, 2022, Friday from 8PM – 2AM in the area of W. Hillsdale Blvd. and Saratoga Dr.
 
Checkpoint locations are chosen based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired.
 
During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
 
“The safety of our community is and always will be our mission,” Sergeant Craig Collom said. “We are constantly looking for impaired drivers because driving under the influence is very dangerous.”
 
San Mateo Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Illegal drugs and some prescription medications or over the counter (OTC) drugs may interfere with driving. Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving or “operating heavy machinery,” which includes operating a vehicle. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is not.
 
If you plan on drinking or taking medications that may impact your ability to drive safely, plan on staying at home.
 
Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
 
Funding for this checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
 
In addition to our upcoming DUI checkpoint, San Mateo PD has also partnered with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) this holiday season. We are joining their longest-running designated driver campaign, Tie One On For Safety ®. “The time period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day are some of the deadliest days on our state’s roadways,” MADD says. Starting today, our patrol cars will have red ribbon magnets affixed to the back of them, as we remind motorists to “Designate a Driver”. Every 48 minutes someone is killed in a drunk driving crash, and every 2 minutes, someone is injured. Unimpaired drivers or public transportation should always be utilized and are “the safest choice” as impaired driving is 100% preventable.

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