Rohnert Park police plan a DUI/license checkpoint on Friday night.

The location isn’t being disclosed, but it’ll run from 6 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday. It’s one of three checkpoints Rohnert Park plans in upcoming months.

Sgt. Aaron Johnson says while checkpoints don’t yield many DUI arrests, they serve as a strong deterrence because word spreads about the checkpoints and that makes people reconsider any plans to drink and drive. He notes  a typical Rohnert Park checkpoint screens about 2,000 drivers. If each car has a passenger, that’s 4,000 people who likely will tell friends about going through the checkpoint, he says.

He says his “suggestion” to those going out drinking to let a sober person drive, even if you’re going to have only a drink or two. Your blood alcohol level may be within the legal limit, but your reaction time in driving will be slower and you could be putting others at risk, he says.

“If you’re drinking, you shouldn’t be driving at all. Period,” Johnson says.

Friday’s checkpoint is funded by a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety.

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