Redondo Beach police will stop drivers at a DUI checkpoint Thursday, Sept. 3, ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The Redondo Beach Police Department said the checkpoint will run from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday at an undisclosed location in the city. The department said it chose the site based on data showing where impaired-driving crashes have occurred.

Rockseth, a traffic investigator with the department, said in the news release that the operation targets a serious risk. "Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk," Rockseth said. "Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety."

A grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is funding the checkpoint. The department has run several OTS-funded checkpoints over the past year, including on March 14, Aug. 23 and Dec. 12, 2025. All operated at undisclosed locations during evening and overnight hours.

Labor Day weekend numbers

The checkpoint falls during NHTSA's national "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" enforcement campaign, which runs Aug. 19 through Sept. 7. During the 2024 Labor Day holiday period, 170 people nationwide were killed in crashes involving at least one alcohol-impaired driver, according to NHTSA data reported by TechTimes. That accounted for 34% of the 505 total traffic deaths that weekend.

Of the alcohol-impaired drivers who died during that period, 77% had blood-alcohol levels of .15 or higher. That is nearly twice the legal limit of .08.

What drivers should know

The department reminded residents that impairment is not limited to alcohol. Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can interfere with driving. Recreational and medicinal marijuana are legal in California, but driving under the influence of marijuana remains illegal.

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

Residents with questions can contact Sgt. Chuck Prestia at [email protected] or 310-697-3554.