Authorities in Pennsylvania are keenly aware that holiday weekends bring many instances of reckless driving and car accidents. Some territories in the state choose to be proactive by setting up sobriety checkpoints on holiday weekends. The collected data indicates about 20 percent of last New Year’s weekend car accidents were a result of drunk driving.
A Pennsylvania police captain stated that they planned to not only set up sobriety checkpoints for the holiday weekend, but also would patrol looking for numerous traffic violations. The captain serves in a State Police trooper unit that spans jurisdiction in three Pennsylvania counties. The troopers planned to look for drivers under the influence as well as infractions involving speeding, reckless driving and seat belt violations.
The captain justified the extra patrols based on data from other holiday weekends. A year ago on New Year’s Eve weekend, the troop investigated 25 vehicle crashes. Just over the recent Christmas weekend, the troop investigated 55 crashes. Although none of the crashes caused any fatalities, there were many injured. The captain reported that there were hundreds of citations issued.
In the captain’s statement, he also reminded the public that anyone under the age of 21 caught with any alcohol in their blood would be subject to the consequences of Pennsylvania’s Zero Tolerance Law. Being caught drunk driving and charged with a DUI at a young age can have serious consequences for a person’s future. It may hinder future rental applications, school applications and job opportunities. Anyone charged with a DUI may benefit from the advice and guidance of a criminal defense attorney. An experienced attorney can create the best defense possible to attempt to lessen the consequences on a person’s future.
Source: leighvalleylive.com, “Pa. State Police plan mystery sobriety checkpoint this weekend“, Kurt Bresswein, Dec. 30, 2016
