Sobriety checkpoints in Northumberland County over holiday weekend

While residents enjoy their barbecue and cold brews this holiday weekend, police throughout the region will be on the look out for impaired drivers.

Dave Everly, regional sobriety checkpoint coordinator for the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program, urged drivers to have a designated driver this weekend.

Checkpoints and roving patrol operations this weekend are part of the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program, which conducts DUI enforcement operations in 10 Counties: Berks, Carbon, Columbia, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder and Union.

Officers not only look for obvious signs of impairment, but also stop vehicles for traffic and equipment violations. The more contact with drivers, the more impaired drivers can be detected, Everly said.

'Unnecessary deaths'

Last year, over the fourth of July holiday weekend, 468 impaired driving-related crashes resulting in 34 fatalities statewide - the third deadliest holiday period of that year. This period includes the holiday weekend, as well as the weekends before and after the holiday.

During the year 2008, for all age groups and vehicle types, 12,737 impaired driving-related crashes occurred in Pennsylvania, ranging from minor to severe injuries for the driver and passengers.

As a result of those crashes, 531 people lost their lives,

the state Department of Transportation reported (PennDOT).

Deaths and injuries that were completely unnecessary and avoidable simply by a driver choosing not to drive impaired, Everly said.

DUI is a criminal offense, according to Pennsylvania's criminal statutes and title 75 of the vehicle code manual. There were 53,546 arrests for impaired driving made in Pennsylvania last year.

A motor vehicle license holder should consider a license a privilege and not a right and with that license comes significant responsibilities for the driver or operator, Everly said.

Driving impaired means the driver is incapable of safe driving whether under the influence of alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs and even some over-the-counter drugs, whether mixed with small quantities of alcohol or not, depending on the person.

Not just cars

In 2008, motorcycle fatalities reached 236, up from 225 the previous year. Approximately 25 percent of those fatalities involved an operator that had been drinking. Every year, for the past nine years, the number of motorcyclists killed on our nation's highways has increased.  

From 2004 through 2008, there were more than 2,000 crashes involving an operator of a motorcycle who had been drinking. Those crashes resulted in more than 233 fatalities of either the operator or passenger of the motorcycle.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycle riders between 30 to 49 years old have the highest rates of alcohol involvement in fatal motorcycle crashes. 

Arrest can also be made for operating a boat under the influence.

Implied Consent

It's called the implied consent law.

If you refuse to submit to a legal blood or breath test when requested to do so, you will automatically lose your driver's license for at least one year, according to PennDOT.

The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is .08. It is illegal to drive with a blood level of .08 or higher in every state of the United States.

There are now 66 drug recognition expert officers in Pennsylvania specifically trained to both look for impaired drivers and assist other officers in DUI investigations where drug-impaired driving is suspected.

Fines for driving under the influence range from $300 to $10,000.

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