SACRAMENTO, CA - They're designed to keep drunk drivers off the road, but do sobriety checkpoints really do that?
A new state audit of the Office of Traffic Safety questions the cost to taxpayers. OTS gives grants to California communities for DUI checkpoints.
Between 2009 and 2010 there were more than 2,500 DUI checkpoints in California which resulted in 28,000 citations to unlicensed drivers, but only 7,000 arrests for DUI.
The audit shows there was little oversight and more than $16 million for law enforcement overtime.
But Mothers Against Drunk Driving said the cost is justified.
"The reality is one DUI fatality crash can cost communities more than a $1 million to investigate and prosecute," said Silas Miers with MADD in Sacramento.
The state auditor recommends more laws for communities and OTS to have more accountablility with grants and checkpoint results.
News10/KXTV