Santa Rosa police holding DUI checkpoint Friday night

The Santa Rosa Police Department will hold a DUI checkpoint Friday night looking for anyone driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The checkpoint will take place at an undisclosed location from 6 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday. Locations are based off areas with notable levels of crashes involving impaired driving, according to the police.

"Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety,“ officials said in a Wednesday news release.

A DUI checkpoint in Santa Rosa last month ended with three arrests. Forty-two other drivers were cited for driving without valid licenses.

Drivers can be stopped if officers determine they were driving under the influence of products other than alcohol, including prescription medication and marijuana.

First-time violators face average fines of $13,500 and a suspended license.

The California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is funding Friday’s operation.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi