Why DUI Checkpoints Are Announced Ahead of Time (Date, Time, & Location)
This is the season for DUI checkpoints in Pennsylvania. In fact, you may even notice that checkpoint announcements might pop up in your local paper or online news source. People are often surprised by this and wonder, "Why on earth would the police give the public advance warning of an upcoming DUI checkpoint?"
The answer is that they are required by law to do so. The Pennsylvania courts have held that in order for a DUI sobriety checkpoint to be legal, there must, among other requirements, be advance notice of the checkpoint to the public. You might ask whether this defeats the purpose of catching drunken drivers in the act. But this notice requirements has at least two reasons behind it:
- It lessens the intrusive nature of allowing agents of the government to detain and question people without any evidence that they have committed any crimes. After all, in almost any other scenario in the U.S., the cops are not allowed to restrict your liberty without probable cause.
- Some police officials support the policy of advance notice because of its deterrent effect. People may be less likely to drive while impaired if they know they might run into a sobriety checkpoint.
Pennsylvania DUI Attorney Richard Emhof has the experience and knowledge to achieve the best possible result in your case. Contact us today online or call 1-866-457-9957 for a free initial consultation.
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January 5th, 2010 - 14:57
While this is a good point. There are many other requirements to have a legitimate and lawful roadblock in Pennsylvania.
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-Justin J. McShane, Esquire, Harrisburg DUI Lawyer