I am writing to express concern regarding the announcement of most DUI checkpoints in The Malibu Times. I grew up in Malibu as a third-generation resident and have seen firsthand the abundance of teen and adult drunk driving on the weekend. Additionally, I’m sure many can resonate with terrible memories of losing friends and relatives from DUI incidents.
I thus pose the question: Why would you announce a DUI checkpoint in the Times? I already spoke with the paper regarding this several months ago, and its response to me was that it has always been announced, the Sheriff’s department announces it and the location is not disclosed. They additionally requested that perhaps I write an opinion piece on the topic.
The correlation is pretty obvious: If you announce a DUI check- point in the local paper, MHS students (an example demographic) who may think it’s OK and to drive after three or four drinks will not learn their lesson. They will simply not drive while intoxicated that night because they know a checkpoint will be somewhere in Malibu. Sure, they may be off the road that night, but then the next weekend they could be right back at it. I believe many would not know about a checkpoint if only the Sheriff’s department published the information.
I frankly think it is unbelievable after the Emily Shane incident and the many other highly publicized DUI-induced fatalities that this process still occurs. Please let me know if there is an explanation for this beyond that it simply has always been done this way, for that is not sufficient. Additionally, I’m hoping there is a way to end this process, and would like to know how steps could be taken.
Kipp Follert