City of West Hollywood and West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station continue their battle against driving under the influence (DUI).
The City of West Hollywood is warning drivers who think it’s no biggie to drive drunk that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Traffic Services Detail will be conducting a DUI checkpoint in West Hollywood this Friday, January 26, from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. at an undisclosed location.
Why does the City of West Hollywood advertise DUI checkpoints, you ask? It is believed that in addition to removing intoxicated drivers from the roads, publicizing a DUI Checkpoint in advance also increases awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and encourages sober designated drivers (or at least warns those who drink and drive to stay out of West Hollywood).
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, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins.
- If you have been drinking, do not drive. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, use public transportation or call one of your local sober ride home programs.
- Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.
- 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.
Photo by Paulo MurilloThose who find themselves inebriated every time they play in the city of West Hollywood, are encouraged to take advantage of The PickUp, which is a 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 Robertson Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. The PickUp arrives at stops every 15 minutes and features beat mixes by Derek Monteiro. Visit The PickUp online, and follow its Trolley Tracker for real-time arrival and location information, at www.wehopickup.com.
There are also seven franchised taxi companies operating in the City of West Hollywood with approximately 350 vehicles that are authorized to pick up passengers. For a complete up-to-date list of taxi companies, visit www.weho.org/taxi.
The City of WeHo won’t post it, but the Uber and Lyft apps are also options to avoid being hauled into a paddy wagon after a night of drinking.
