Extra patrols looking for impaired driving this holiday weekend

The Columbia police traffic division, aware that the 4th of July weekend may give rise to the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, planned extra patrols and traffic safety check points in the region.

Safety checkpoints will be in place beginning Friday night and throughout the weekend. Their placement, police chief Skip Holbrook said in a news release, is determined by data on a location’s history of speeding violations and DUI stops.

All vehicles entering a checkpoint will be checked for valid drivers license, possible impairment of driver, seatbelt use, proper restraint of children in the vehicle, and any other violations of the law that are visible.