Sobriety Checkpoints

Government officials and law enforcement authorities want to protect people and society from dangers and hazards. One thing that the government wants to protect people from is drunk drivers. Drunk drivers cause many accidents and kill many people every year.

To fight drunk driving, law enforcement use a variety of techniques. Breathalyzer tests, pupil dilation, or coordination exercises are some of the ways. Another method is the use of sobriety checkpoints.

Sobriety checkpoints are a simple concept. On days and at times when people are likely to drink heavily and get drunk (such as weekend nights or New Year’s Eve night), police set up checkpoints in various areas that get heavy traffic. As cars come through that area, the drivers get their blood alcohol level tested to determine whether or not they are driving drunk.

Sobriety checkpoints may be a great idea but they are not legal in every state. In fact, they are quite controversial some states. Many people feel that sobriety checkpoints are a violation of privacy. Without any reasonable cause, police should not—and do not have the right to—check people en masse for drunk driving and so wrongfully violate people’s privacy, many people argue. Others, however, feel that the lives that would be saved by sobriety checkpoints are more than a strong enough justification for having checkpoints, as drunk driving is a serious problem.

Contact Us

If you have been charged with drunk driving, having an experienced attorney fight your case will be helpful. For more information, contact the Rhode Island DUI lawyers of Matthew Marin at 401-287-4384.