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The Steamboat Springs Police Department will conduct sobriety checks Friday evening.

Police Sgt. Rich Brown said the checkpoints are part of the city's effort to reduce drunken driving. The checkpoints, Brown said, deter drivers who usually would consider driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs by increasing their fear of being caught.

"There is convincing evidence that the use of checkpoints has a marked, dramatic effect on reducing alcohol-related crashes in a community," he said.

The Colorado Department of Transportation sponsors Check--point Colorado, a campaign designed to discourage people from driving under the influence. The campaign began Memorial Day and continues through Labor Day weekend.

The checkpoint used to be funded through a Law Enforcement Assistance Funds grant. The police department was not eligible for the grant this year.

The checkpoints, which will be manned from 9 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday, are not expected to cause traffic problems.

Surveys conducted by police officers indicate most residents don't consider the checkpoints a burden.

In 2005, the police department conducted two sobriety checkpoints during which officers gave motorists surveys. Police officials said 54 people responded.

Eighty-five percent of drivers said the checkpoints did not cause a significant delay for them and that 86 percent think the checkpoints deterred some people from driving drunk.