DUI Checkpoint Scheduled For Saturday

Buellton - August 9th, 2010

AVOID the 12, Santa Barbara County’s multi-agency campaign against impaired driving, will conduct a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint on Saturday, August 14, 2010 in the Buellton area. The checkpoint will operate from approximately 7:00 pm to 3:00 am.

The primary purpose of the checkpoint is to prevent and stop people from driving under the influence of alcohol or any other drugs before they kill or hurt someone, or damage property.  Motorists approaching the checkpoint will see informational signs advising them that a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint is ahead.  Once in the checkpoint lane, motorists will be detained for only a few moments while officers explain the purpose of the checkpoint, check their sobriety and driver’s license.

Establishing checkpoints on roadways with identified DUI problems, and detaining drivers for a very short time, helps ensure the safety of our community.  In 2008, 3,487 people were killed in California traffic collisions.  This was a 12% decrease from 2007 and the lowest number since 1975 when the current counting system began.  Preliminary statistics from 2009 indicate the number of people killed in traffic collisions is continuing to decrease.  DUI checkpoints are contributing to this dropping death toll.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department administers the AVOID the 12 program.  The program is funded by a grant provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information regarding news related issues
please contact Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer.

Business Hours: (805) 681-4100
EMAIL:pio@sbsheriff.org