More than 50 law enforcement officers from across Delaware will assemble at several locations in all three counties to conduct statewide impaired driving checkpoints. The focus will be on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues.
If you drink and drive during this Independence Day holiday, or any other time this July, you could lose your independence because there is a high likelihood you’ll be pulled over.
During the month of July, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety will be implementing several countermeasures to combat impaired driving. (A DUI arrest can set you back an average of $10,000 in attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, car towing and repairs, and more. It could also result in the loss of your license and possibly even your job.)
On Saturday, July 14th, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., police will be out in full force in Delaware as part of the “CheckPoint StrikeForce” deployment. Delaware State Police will be manning three sobriety check points, one in each county, as follows:
New Castle County: Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington
Kent County: US 13 in Smyrna
Sussex County: Rt. 1 in Rehoboth Beach
There will be at least one Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) at each checkpoint.
Two weeks later, on July 28th, OHS will be funding a DUI team enforcement initiative. Targeting areas shown to have a high occurrence of DUI arrests, nearly 100 law enforcement officers will be traveling in pairs to patrol for impaired drivers.
July is a particularly deadly month for Delaware. From 2013 – 2017, there have been a total of 1,839 DUI arrests, 486 DUI-related crashes, and 24 DUI-related fatalities.
"As you celebrate the summer, we want everyone to think of your family, friends and other drivers traveling on our roads in Delaware. Drink responsibly and discourage others from drunk or buzzed driving. If you feel buzzed, you should not drive. Please have a plan before you go out and pick a designated driver who is responsible and will not drink. The Delaware State Police and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state have teamed together to enhance motorists safety with extra patrols and DUI enforcement at checkpoints in all three counties. Think about the safety of others as more families are traveling on Delaware roads."
Sergeant Richard Bratz, Delaware State Police, Public Information Director
“This July, don’t let your stars and stripes become bars and stripes. OHS urges motorists to plan ahead. Don’t let a DUI ruin your life. Find a designated driver, call a cab or use a ridesharing service like Lyft.”
This is actually unconstitutional but you all let it go on for so long it become the "norm" and then the politician sneakily try or do pass laws to help protect the cops in doing this... Without probable cause to suspect someone is under the influence, they have no right under no law to stop you to see if you have been drinking... This would be no different than a cop sitting on your front porch waiting for you to break the law, or having a cop with a dog go up and down your road until they catch you doing something, anything...
ReplyDeleteSpeak for yourself.
Delete@8:37
ReplyDeleteAre you for real? These officers are trying to save lives, maybe even one of your family members who may innocently be a casualty of a drunk driver. How can you justify driving under the influence by saying it is unconstitutional? The public has been warned as to when and where these checkpoints will be. If they disregard the warning so be it. This would be no different than receiving a warning for a tail light out and it is disregarded and not fixed. Should you get stopped again and get a summons, is that unconstitutional also?
So what are you going to say when a couple police officers come and knock on your door and tell you they need to search your house just to see if you're doing anything wrong? I'm not saying what they are doing doesn't save lives or get drunks off the road, but DUI checkpoints are wrong. Just because they give you the location of the checkpoints doesn't all of sudden make it OK to temporarily detain innocent people without any probable cause whatsoever.
Deleteit is unconstitutional
DeleteThanks for the heads up.
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with saving lives. It's all about making money for the government. They screw over people who have had a couple of drinks but are driving just fine.
ReplyDeleteI get the "we are trying to save lives thing," but they would do more on the streets and catching people the old fashioned way - by working the road. Should be more undercover vehicles and they would catch more of these aggressive driving fools as well. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeletepsst - 837 is a law enforcement official. He's fooolin ya and providing the point that you don't like it!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting DEL informs us exactly where they will be so as we know where NOT to be!
ReplyDeleteWonder if MD's finest will be waiting at the borders of 54, 1, 113 and 13? They should be, unannounced of course!
I think that I'll drink a few shots and chase it with a six pack. Then I'll weave down Route 50 and blame the cops when I get stopped for a DUI.
ReplyDeleteCan someone tell me why - just why don't they install Breathalyzers at bars and restaurants?
ReplyDeleteIf they purpose of the DUI checkpoints is to prevent people from drinking and driving, why not nip it in the bud.
Oh, ok... I get it. It's about revenue and NOT safety.
Clears that up. Thanks.
This commentary (not)sponsored by municipal courts and defense attorney association.
Ok, let’s address your point. Who is going to purchase the Intoximeter for the bar (they are several thousand dollars each)? Who is going to perform the monthly maintenance on the Intoximeter that is placed into a bar? Who is going to secure the Intoximeter that is places in the bar so that it isn’t damaged? Who is going to provide the personnel that is going to test the people in the bar (this includes wages for multiple people as they have to have days off, benefits...etc)? You must be Jake Day. Just like his bull crap Folk Festival, he failed to see the associated problems and costs. Your “simple solution” fails to address costs and issues. Just spout off a stupid comment and hope it gets people fired up...it’s the Democratic way.
Delete149, group therapy works wonders every time. Glad we could work together on this one!
ReplyDelete$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
It's for revenue enhancement. Never let an opportunity to make money go to waste. It's a win win for all those involved. With fines, and legal fees, it could go up to 10,000 dollars in the state coffers.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with all those above who say it is unconstitutional. Just by the fact they are stopping you, they are infringing upon you rights. Kind of like East Germany in 1968, show me your papers!
Revenue in the same of safety. They can spin this all they want but in the end, it is not for your benefit.
There is an old saying that is still true: The road to hell is paved with good intentions!