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Mothers
Against Drunk Driving |
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The primary purpose of Roadside sobriety checkpoints is not to arrest impaired drivers. Certainly, that is one results. But the primary purpose is to put the public on notice that law enforcement is watching. Why are sobriety checkpoints important? Worldwide, DUI incidents are reduced by a consistent use of sobriety checkpoints. Laguna Beach is a good example. Communities that consistently use checkpoints have experienced reductions as much as 8 times greater than communities that depend on roving patrols. Why? The reason for the effectiveness of the sobriety checkpoints has to do with the perception of how likely one is to be stopped and arrested when driving while impaired. One of the most important requirements for deterring potential drunk drivers is to convince them that if they drive while impaired, there is a strong probability that they will be arrested and lose their license to drive. Which brings us to a basic fact regarding drunk drivers: the more they think they will be caught, the less they will drink and drive. Are checkpoints costly to the community? Sobriety checkpoints are not expensive, comparatively. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), one of the most important roles of low enforcement is prevention (not just enforcement) of impaired driving. And nothing prevents DUI as effectively as checkpoints. Nothing low enforcement deals with cost society as much as traffic collisions. Compare the cost of a single victim-involved DUI crash, the trial, medical and other costs for victims and their families to the cost of a single checkpoint. Many Orange County agencies are joining forces to share costs. Some of these partnerships include the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and Laguna Beach, Cypress, Seal Beach, La Palma and Los Alamitos police departments. Sobriety checkpoints are accepted by the U.S. Supreme Court In 1990, the nations highest court, with the agreement of most State courts, said that the government's interest in reducing DUI, when considered with the effectiveness of checkpoints justifies the minor intrusion in the life of the individual motorist. The Public wants sobriety checkpoints Whenever asked, the public has stated that sobriety checkpoints are OK with them. In one survey, 79% approved. Interesting when you realize that other studies have shown that 21% of drivers admit to drinking and driving. The fact is, the more checkpoints we have, the more the public supports them. Checkpoints can do double (or triple or quadruple) duty Using sobriety checkpoints to monitor seat belt usage, child safety restraints, driver's licenses and vehicle registrations can result in a remarkable amount of pro-active law enforcement in a short period of time. Checkpoints are an important part of any total enforcement program designed to raise the perceived probability among potential impaired drivers that they will be stopped and arrested for a DUI or related charge. It is not necessary that checkpoints result in a high number of arrests. They constitute a highly visible procedure which comes to the attention of most night-time motorists. Consideration is then given when they are stopped and interviewed or when they observe others being stopped. The media is also a tool in raising awareness, as they publicize such activities. In general, research has shown sobriety checkpoints to be more effective than any other single enforcement procedure in raising the publics perception of the risk of arrest. The bottom line: When done properly, sobriety checkpoints are the ultimate in 'Protecting and Serving.'
This page is: http://www.maddorangecounty.org/checkpoints.htm Page updated: August 13, 2005 |
