Checkpoint Strikeforce initiative targets impaired driving
Attorney General Kathy Jennings swore in 53 officers June 13 representing jurisdictions from New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties to serve as part of Checkpoint Strikeforce and other checkpoints that will take place throughout the state this year.
Impaired driving is an ongoing threat that claims dozens of lives on Delaware’s roadways every year. In 2019 alone, there have been more than a half-dozen fatalities attributed to impaired driving and more than 1,860 DUI arrests.
“Driving drunk or buzzed is reckless, needless and illegal, but more than 4,000 DUI arrests last year alone show that we must stay vigilant about protecting our roads from those who get behind the wheel of a car when they shouldn’t,” said Jennings. “I’m grateful to the officers within Checkpoint Strikeforce for keeping all of us safe and for sending a strong message that Delaware is serious about stopping drunk driving and preventing crashes.”
The 2019 CPSF initiative consists of five DUI checkpoints across the state occurring on multiple occasions throughout the year, in addition to checkpoints conducted by local municipalities and saturation patrols. The Office of Highway Safety is providing overtime funds to law enforcement this summer and all year to enforce the state’s DUI laws. In addition, OHS is running statewide marketing and education campaigns.
OHS’s newest impairment campaign, Don’t Blow It, focuses on the consequences of drivers being alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentrations are .08 g/dl or higher. A DUI can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. It can also lead to an arrest, or worse, to death.
Cynthia Cavett, OHS public information officer, recommends the following tips for Delaware drivers to Arrive Alive:
It is never OK to drink and drive. Even if a person has only had one alcoholic beverage, they should designate a sober driver or plan a sober ride home. Take Uber, Lyft, or a cab. For an up-to-date list of rideshare options, go to www.arrivealivede.com/Drive-Sober/Safe-Rides#wilmington.
Use public transportation to get home safely. For current bus schedules and locations, go to www.dartfirststate.com. To download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, go to www.nhtsa.gov/link/saferride. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
People should make the commitment to only driving when they are 100 percent sober. To see frequently asked questions on the consequences of life after a DUI, go to www.arrivealivede.com/Drive-Sober/FAQs.
