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Sobriety Checkpoint FAQs

MADD supports sobriety checkpoints where law enforcement officials evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment at specific points on the roadway. What is a Sobriety Checkpoint?
  • Sobriety checkpoints are a technique where law enforcement officials evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment at specific points on the roadway.
Does MADD Support Sobriety Checkpoints Over Roving Patrols?
  • MADD supports high-visibility law enforcement including saturation patrols or roving patrols and sobriety checkpoints.
  • The primary goal of a sobriety checkpoint is not to arrest people, but rather to deter people from committing DUI.
           Take Action!
If you live in one of the states without sobriety checkpoints, contact your lawmakers and urge their support for lifesaving drunk driving deterrents.
Are Sobriety Checkpoints Legal?
  • The Supreme Court ruled in Michigan v. Sitz that sobriety checkpoints are constitutional because the small inconvenience that drivers face is overwhelmed by a compelling state interest to save lives.[1]
  • 10 states still prohibit their use and others rarely use them.
Are Sobriety Checkpoints Effective?
  • Sobriety checkpoints can significantly lower the incidence of drunk driving. 
  • 2002 research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that alcohol-related crashes and fatalities dropped by 20 percent when sobriety checkpoints were used and publicized.[2]
  • Research shows that those convicted of drunk driving for the first time have driven drunk more than 87 times before their first arrest, thus checkpoints are crucial for the prevention of drunk driving and in turn, for saving more lives.
  • Checkpoints have been shown to not only detect impaired drivers, but also drivers with suspended licenses, illegal weapons, stolen vehicles and numerous other violations.
  • Because of the advanced publicity, sobriety checkpoints have the greatest deterrent value of all impaired driving enforcement
What Does the Public Think About Sobriety Checkpoints?
  • 87 percent of Americans support sobriety checkpoints.
Where Are Sobriety Checkpoints Set Up?
  • MADD, along with most agencies that conduct checkpoints, believes that they should be set up where crashes are happening. Data systems exist to inform local police departments where the crashes are occurring. The rate of alcohol-related crashes of a certain area should determine whether or not the location is an appropriate place for a checkpoint.
What States Currently Prohibit Sobriety Checkpoints?
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Texas
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
  • Alaska and Montana choose not to conduct sobriety checkpoints.
     If you're from one of these states, urge your lawmakers to support sobriety checkpoints.  

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[1] Michigan Department of State Policy v. Sitz (496 US 444, 1990). 
[2] Elder, Randy, et al. “Effectiveness of Sobriety Checkpoints for Reducing Alcohol-Involved Crashes.” Traffic Injury Prevention (2002): 266-274.