DUI Checkpoints Held Across Desert

A two week crackdown in Riverside County has netted more than 365 DUI arrests, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Desert law enforcement officers will be out in force to track down drunk drivers to start the Labor Day weekend.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is sponsoring a nationwide campaign to catch impaired drivers.

In Riverside County, the program is called ‘Avoid the 30 Campaign,’ which means 30 local law enforcement agencies are teaming together to nab drunk drivers.

Yucca Valley, Banning, Palm Springs, Indio and La Quinta Police Departments held DUI checkpoints on Friday. However, authorities said DUI checkpoints are about more than just making arrests.

“The whole point of this is to raise awareness of the fact that its still very dangerous and that we never want to have a loved one that we have to call and say that we are at the scene of their loved one’s collision,” said Sgt. David Walton, with the La Quinta Police Department and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

The California Highway Patrol is also in a period of maximum enforcement. It is beefing up patrols on the roads through 11:59 p.m. on Monday.