Columbia police hold safety checkpoint

The Columbia police conducted a safety checkpoint Wednesday to make sure drivers have valid licenses and vehicle insurance.

Police said suspended, revoked, unlicensed and uninsured drivers continue to be a problem in the city. Officers were also on the lookout for people not wearing their seat belts, a problem they say contributes to many crash injuries in the area.

In an effort to stop people from breaking these rules, the Columbia Police Department’s Traffic Unit was out Wednesday, stopping drivers to check for these violations.

The location was on the outer road of Providence near Rock Bridge High School. Officers pulled over 181 vehicles.

During the safety checkpoint, the following citations were given:

– One for operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license

– Nine for driving without insurance

– Three for no seat belt use

– Two warnings for vehicle registration violation

– One for an intermediate driver’s license violation