LOS ANGELES — Drunk drivers, stay away from your vehicles. The Los Angeles Police Department announced Thursday that it is setting up checkpoints and increasing patrols in areas of the city with a history of DUI crashes and arrests.

The dates and locations of the DUI checkpoints include:

• Figueroa St. and 9^th St.: Friday, February 4, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Whittier Blvd. and Fresno St.: Saturday, February 5, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Cahuenga Blvd. and Broadlawn Dr.: Saturday, February 5, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Santa Monica Blvd. and Bronson Ave.: Wednesday, February 9, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• The dates and locations of DUI saturation patrols with additional officers and patrol cars include:
• Pacific Area: Thursday, February 3, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Rampart Area: Friday, February 4, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
• Van Nuys Area: Sunday, February 6, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

In a press announcement, the LAPD said the purpose of the DUI checkpoints “is not to make arrests but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired. During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.” 

Impaired driving, according to the LAPD, is not just driving while under the influence of alcohol. Prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and recreational marijuana can also be the cause. Drivers who operate their vehicles while under the influence may be fined as much as $13,500 and can also have their driver’s license suspended.

The LAPD’s DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols follow an announcement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week that found traffic fatalities during the first nine months of 2021 increased 12% compared with a year earlier. Among the leading causes of those deaths: impaired driving.