San Rafael drivers heading out on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 26, will encounter a DUI checkpoint somewhere in the city.

The San Rafael Police Department will run the checkpoint from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. at an undisclosed location, according to a department press release posted Sept. 15 by Sgt. Joseph Jordan. SRPD said it selects checkpoint sites based on data showing where impaired-driving crashes have occurred.

The operation replaces a checkpoint originally scheduled for Aug. 26, which SRPD canceled and rescheduled to the September date.

"Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk," San Rafael Police Corporal Schraeder said in the announcement. "Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety."

What a first-time DUI costs

A first-time DUI charge carries an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties plus a suspended license, according to the department.

SRPD also warned that impairment extends beyond alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs can interfere with driving. Marijuana use is legal in California, but driving under its influence is not.

What the last checkpoint found

At one of the department's checkpoints on April 24 at Grand Avenue and Francisco Boulevard East, officers screened 980 vehicles over eight hours. That operation produced five DUI investigations, though all five drivers tested below the legal limit of .08% blood alcohol content.

Officers issued 24 citations for unlicensed driving, nine for moving violations and one for driving on a suspended license. They also impounded one vehicle.

The California Office of Traffic Safety funds the checkpoint program through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Residents with questions can reach SRPD's non-emergency line at (415) 485-3000.