ESCONDIDO, Calif. (CNS) — Police fanned out across Escondido on Friday to stage a specialized patrol, as well as a driver's license and sobriety checkpoint, citing 96 drivers for various violations, officials said Saturday.
The citywide patrol targeted traffic violations that commonly lead to crashes, in what police refer to as "primary collision factors," and was held from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the Escondido Police Department.
A license and DUI checkpoint was staged on Escondido Boulevard and Woodward Avenue from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Of 1,409 vehicles that passed through the checkpoint, 537 drivers were contacted, 24 motorists were cited for driving without a license, and two were cited for driving on a suspended license, police said.
During the citywide sweep, officers issued 70 citations for alleged violations including speeding, violating signs and signals, unsafe turning movements, use of cell phones and driving without a license.
"Reducing crashes and ensuring a safe travel experience for everyone is a high priority for the Escondido Police Department," Interim Police Chief Ryan Banks said in a news release. "We urge all motorists to drive with care on every trip."
DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes, according to police. The next DUI checkpoint in Escondido is scheduled for Oct. 10.
Funding for the checkpoint and the citywide patrol was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
