The City of West Hollywood is getting the word out that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) Checkpoint at an undisclosed location in West Hollywood on Friday, August 18, 2023 from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. In addition to removing intoxicated drivers from the roads, a focus of publicizing DUI Checkpoints in advance is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage sober designated drivers.
LA Sheriffs conducted a DUI checkpoint in West Hollywood on Friday, July 22, 2023. According to Sergeant Matthew Davis of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, 1,380 vehicles come through the checkpoint and 948 of them were screened for DUI. Two adults were arrested for being under the influence of alcohol. Deputies also arrested, cited, and released 9 adult drivers for various driving license violation, such as driving on a suspended license.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal. Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
The West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has the following safety tips:
- Even one drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk – or worse, the risk of having a crash while driving.
- If you will be drinking or using marijuana, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins – a designated driver is someone who hasn’t had any alcohol or marijuana, not just the person who drank or smoked the least.
- If you have been drinking or using marijuana, do not drive. Phone a sober friend or family member, use a ride share service or public transportation, or call one of your local sober ride home programs.
- Be responsible. If someone you know is impaired, do not let that person get behind the wheel, and do not accept a ride with an impaired person.
- If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.
One transportation alternative for people enjoying nightlife in West Hollywood is The PickUp, which is a cool, convenient, and free alternative to driving. The PickUp runs on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. and on Sundays from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. along Santa Monica Boulevard in a four-mile loop with 15 stops in each direction between N. Robertson Boulevard and N. La Brea Avenue. The PickUp arrives at stops every 15 minutes. Visit The PickUp online at www.wehopickup.com and follow its Trolley Tracker for real-time arrival and location information,
The City of West Hollywood has many bars, restaurants, lounges, nightclubs, and venues that serve alcohol. The City is dedicated to encouraging social responsibility and maintaining safe establishments.
The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station’s Community Impact Team (CIT) actively patrols bars, nightclubs, and hotels. Deputies are proactive in addressing impacts from entertainment establishments and special events. The Sheriff’s Station’s Entertainment Policing Team (EPT) focuses on entertainment- and alcohol- related law enforcement issues to prevent alcohol-related incidents. Together, the Sheriff’s Station and the City’s Neighborhood and Business Safety Division work with the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to educate businesses and work collaboratively on alcohol-related issues.
Everyone in West Hollywood can take part in working together to ensure that alcohol consumption is safe in our city. The City of West Hollywood works to raise awareness about social responsibility and alcohol with an effort called Imbibe Intelligently, which promotes safety tips and messages regarding alcohol consumption within the community and for visitors enjoying establishments in the City of West Hollywood.
