Adding to the reasons not to get behind the wheel drunk this weekend, the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Dept. will be hosting a sobriety checkpoint in Goleta this Saturday night.

The checkpoint, which will run between 7:30 p.m. and 4 a.m., is designed to ensure the safety of the community, Sheriff’s Dept. spokesman Sgt. Alex Tipolt said. According to a press release, the checkpoints will be conducted on streets previously identified as DUI hotspots. However, the department did not provide the specific location of the checkpoint.

All vehicles will be detained for a short period of time, and drivers will be asked to present their licenses. In the event of heavy traffic, the Sheriff’s Dept. will stop cars at random intervals.

According to the Sheriff’s Dept.’s statement, the number of arrests does not increase significantly as a result of the checkpoints – but the stop’s presence tends to reduce drunk driving.

“A major value of these checkpoints is their psychological influence,” Tipolt said.

The checkpoints, Tipolt said, are designed to deter, not catch, drunk drivers.

“The goal of the checkpoint is not to arrest drivers – we want to spread awareness of the dangers and consequences of driving under the influence,” Tipolt said.

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