On the night May 25, the Gilroy Police Department’s Traffic Unit held a DUI and Driver’s License checkpoint. Of the approximately 598 vehicles that drove through the checkpoint, 43 vehicles were diverted to a secondary checkpoint. Two drivers were arrested for DUI; one was arrested because of a warrant; 29 citations were issued for driving unlicensed and four citations were issued to drivers driving on a suspended license, according to a GPD press release. Four vehicles were impounded from the checkpoint.
The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Research shows that DUI checkpoints are an effective resource in reducing the number of people killed or injured in alcohol or drug-related vehicle collisions. On average, the number of crashes involving alcohol drops around 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted on a regular basis, according to the press release.
