Sobriety checkpoints have been around for decades now despite occasional controversy. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes they are not!
Successful sobriety checkpoints nab drunk drivers with as little impact to the rest of the traffic as possible and we can celebrate lives being saved.
Unsuccessful sobriety checkpoints keep a lot of drivers waiting in lines while petty violations are investigated, fix-it tickets are written, and if somebody actually does get arrested for DUI, they have to be driven to the station, taking somebody away from the checkpoint and slowing things down for everyone.
Here’s a link to a story about a very impressive sobriety checkpoint in Seabrook, New Hampshire (link updated 01/12/10). 28 arrests and almost every one of them for DWI.
Compare that with the results at this Gainesville, Florida checkpoint where 10 arrests were made, but not for drunk driving, and over 100 tickets were handed out.
A major difference between these two checkpoints was the use of a special sobriety checkpoint mobile unit in Seabrook like this one …
These beauties even come with a straight line painted on the floor to walk on. There’s a table for the breathalyzer and other equipment, testing can be done in awful weather, and the one used in Seaport even has a built-in holding tank! In some departments they call these BATmobiles (Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco mobiles).
On the surface, it appears as if one checkpoint focused solely on drunk drivers while the other actively sought out any violation it could find.
It is possible that setting up a DUI checkpoint with a mobile unit creates a more focused environment for officers where they can really hone in on their actual target, drunk drivers, instead of fishing for minor violations.
Or maybe after investing in one of these expensive pieces of equipment, officers are more sternly encouraged to end their shift with some DUI arrests to justify the cost.
Whatever the reason, searching for other instances where BATmobiles are used in DUI checkpoints comes up with similar results wherever it is employed – many DUI arrests and not much else.
In fact, I’ll call it right here! The next time you hear of a DUI checkpoint happening in your area, I predict that IF they use a BATmobile, it will be a successful checkpoint (Mostly DUI arrests and little else) and if they do NOT use a BATmobile, seatbelt tickets will outnumber DUIs by 5-1.
We should never drink and drive, but I still like to know where checkpoints
will be in Orange County, San Diego, and LA. I may use calcheckpoint
(www.twitter.com/calcheckpoint) to find out where they are Save a life,
please retweet
There are apps for smartphones that you can use that update as users pinpoint the locations of checkpoints, road blocks, screening sites and speedtraps. I rode around for months with an exspired inspection sticker dodging checkpoints and active patrols before taking care of it. there is always a way around these situations. take me for instance I do my drinking in the morning when the local bar first opens up. no one is looking for a DUI at 11AM smooth sailing.
It is a deeply ingrained value in our democratic system that the ends do not justify the means. In particular, evidence or convictions may, at times, be obtained at too high a price. – Antonio Lamer C.J.C., R. v. Mack, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 903 at p. 938.