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Sobriety & License Checkpoint Tonight in Sherman Oaks
Photo by McBLG97 via Flickr
Despite the inclement weather, it's likely people will still be headed in or out of, or just passing through, Sherman Oaks tonight, and the Los Angeles Police Department will be there to check the sobriety and driver's licenses of those who motor up to their checkpoint tonight. They'll be on Ventura Boulevard between Noble Avenue and the San Diego Freeway from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., and, as usual, will stop everyone at the checkpoint to look for signs of alcohol and or drug impairments, and proper licensing.
This morning, in response to news that recently immigrant rights group have interrupted LAPD sobriety checkpoints, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) sent out a statement voicing their support for the LAPD's use of checkpoints:
Checkpoints target the general population…anyone driving. If someone is driving impaired, law enforcement will test them and enforce the law. If someone is not driving impaired and has not broken any laws, their stop will be minimal and they will be on their way. Sobriety checkpoints help stop drunk drivers who would likely remain under the radar. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes to society is over $130 billion. MADD strongly supports high visibility enforcement and especially sobriety checkpoints as they have proven to have a lifesaving impact on deterring drunk driving. However, an alcohol-related traffic crash still claims a life every half-hour, on average and injury every minute.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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