If you have plans to be out on the streets of Los Angeles this weekend, you might want to keep a close eye on your speedometer, and please don’t drive under the influence. The Los Angeles Police Department has officially launched a massive, multi-day enforcement wave aimed at getting impaired drivers off the road.
Beginning Wednesday night and running through Saturday, the LAPD is deploying a series of DUI checkpoints and “saturation patrols” across the city. According to department officials, these locations target specific neighborhoods with a high history of impaired driving-related arrests and car crashes.
A $13,500 Mistake
For most enthusiasts, $13,500 could buy a very respectable project car or a massive mountain of performance parts. For the LAPD, that is the average cost of a first-time DUI offense.
Between legal fees, court-mandated fines, increased insurance premiums, and the inevitable license suspension, the financial effect of a single night of bad decision-making is staggering. Beyond just checking for sobriety, officers will also be verifying that all motorists are properly licensed and that vehicles meet basic safety standards.
It’s Not Just About Alcohol
The LAPD is wanting to remind the car culture community that the term “impaired” doesn’t just refer to a high blood-alcohol content. With the legalization of medicinal and recreational marijuana in California, police are seeing a rise in drug-impaired driving…