On Saturday night the Burbank Police Department conducted a sobriety checkpoint on San Fernando Boulevard between Delaware Road and Cornell Drive. The checkpoint ran from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
According to the Burbank Police, the purpose of a sobriety, or DUI checkpoint is to reduce the number of persons killed or seriously injured in alcohol-related traffic collisions, and to reduce the amount of property damage caused by impaired drivers.
Pedestrians passing the checkpoint appeared to be in favor of the activity. Gina, a local employee just finishing work and walking to her nearby home mentioned “I think it is a good idea. Especially if it keeps a drunk off the road and saves a life. But I don’t think Burbank has too many problems with drunk drivers.”
According to Sgt. Kerry Schilf of the Burbank Police, sobriety checkpoints are located in areas where there have been high concentrations of DUIs in the past. However there is a trend that drivers are becoming extra cautious during holiday seasons.
Another group of young men sat across the street from the checkpoint, secretly hoping they would get to see somebody arrested for DUI, echoed Gina’s comments. “James” noted that he is just starting to drive, and it is a good experience to see the police in action at a DUI checkpoint. “This is a good thing, and I will be more careful when I think about drinking and driving.”
At one point a pickup truck possibly attempting to evade the checkpoint, was quickly rounded up by a team of motorcycle officers. However most drivers quietly accepted the need to process through the checkpoint, and after answering a few simple questions the officers hand drivers a flyer explaining the checkpoint, with statistics on the impact of drunk drivers in California, and the driver heads on their way.
Burbank Police published the following statistics as result of the checkpoint:
- 803 drivers passed through the checkpoint and were screened for DUI
- 2 drivers were detained for administration of a Standardized Field Sobriety Test
- 0 drivers arrested for DUI
- 2 citations issued to unlicensed drivers
- 1 citation issued for driving with a suspended license
- 1 vehicle impounded
According to the Burbank Police, sobriety checkpoints are located in areas where there have been high concentrations of DUIs in the past. However there is a trend that drivers are becoming extra cautious during holiday seasons.
Overall a good night for the Burbank Police, residents, and visitors to Burbank.
Saturday’s sobriety checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
