VENTURA : Sobriety Checks for Drivers Scheduled

The Ventura Police Department plans sobriety checkpoints throughout the month of December in an effort to prevent more drivers from driving after drinking and to make the public at large more aware of the problem during the holiday season.

The first checkpoint is set for between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. Saturday night. Others will follow every weekend throughout the month as part of National Drunk and Drugged Driving Month.

“December is one of the worst months for drunk driving arrests and accidents, so we try to do as many of the checkpoints as we can,” Sgt. George Morris said.

Those planned this month are part of a yearlong federal program to study the effectiveness of checkpoints, Morris said.

“In theory, if the checkpoints work, then these drunk driving accidents should go down,” he said.

Saturday’s sobriety check will be the ninth since the yearlong study began in July. Police plan nine additional checkpoints as part of the study, which was funded by federal and state grants totaling $22,000, Morris said.

Ventura is one of six California cities to participate in the study to collect data on hit-and-run crashes, single-auto accidents and drunk-driving arrests.

On the average, Ventura police check 300 to 400 vehicles per night at each location, Morris said. Police choose the checkpoint locations based on past drunk-driving accidents and traffic volume, Morris said.

“Our goal is to prevent alcohol related accidents and to save lives,” Morris said.