Tonight’s (10-18-2013) scheduled DUI checkpoint on U.S. 19 at 31975 between Curlew and Tampa road will involve the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office as well as a number of other agencies, such as the Florida Highway Patrol, the Pinellas Park and Largo police departments. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Mobile Command bus will be on hand to carry out breathalyzer tests and deal with any drivers who are arrested.
The checkpoint has been widely advertised and will be conducted between 8 p.m. tonight and 4 a.m. Saturday, i.e. tomorrow morning. To ensure maximum effect, vehicles will be diverted from U.S. 19 on the northbound section of the highway.
DUI checkpoints are designed to catch any impaired drivers who are using that particular stretch of highway as well as any driver who may be driving with license, registration, insurance or vehicle safety irregularities.
Checkpoints are a regular feature on Florida roads, but remain somewhat controversial, partly because they have proven to be less successful in numbers of arrests compared to other DUI strategies employed, such as wolf packs. The checkpoint location is clearly announced before it takes place, allowing drivers who may think they are a potential target an opportunity to use another route home.
Officers who operate a checkpoint are also not allowed to stop a driver simply because they think they are a DUI suspect. A random method, such as every car in 5, must be used. They may also stop any driver who is apparently driving erratically or may have an obvious fault with their vehicle, such as a missing light. These methods have proven in the past to net a substantially reduced number of DUI arrests compared to mobile patrols, such as wolf packs.
Tonight’s checkpoint has been organized in memory of the untimely death of an 18 year old woman, Yvonne Myers, who died 21 years ago. Yvonne was killed because the driver of the car she was in that night was drunk. The driver ran a red light and was struck by another vehicle passing through the intersection.
The best way to avoid being stopped at any checkpoint anywhere in Florida is to not drink and drive and drive carefully. Police officers will be aware of how you drive towards them. Your demeanor and appearance if you are stopped will also be an indicator of whether you may be a DUI suspect.
If you do need to drive past this checkpoint location tonight, ensure that you drive according to the road rules and that your car is in good condition. If you are stopped, be cooperative and answer questions politely. You may be asked to complete a series of sobriety tests. If you refuse, this could be used as evidence that you are DUI. You should remain calm and quiet and attempt the sobriety tests as well as you can. If you have a medical condition, or have been taking prescription medications which could affect your tests, let the officer know before the tests begin.
If you are arrested for DUI, do not attempt to make a fuss. You will need the help of a dedicated and experienced DUI attorney to help you fight a DUI charge. The consequences of a DUI conviction are too serious to not contemplate fighting your charge. Just because you get arrested for DUI does not mean that you will be automatically convicted. Many DUI charges can be defended successfully. Your defense attorney will know how to examine the arrest procedure and the sobriety and blood alcohol tests to determine what can be done in your defense.
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