Another Round of Sobriety Checks For Akron/Summit County

Attention all people of Summit County who plan on going out for some weekend fun tonight…  The Akron Beacon Journal (ohio.com) has confirmed that the authorities at the Summit County OVI Task Force will be conducting sobriety checkpoints across Summit County TONIGHT!!!

The OVI Task Force of Summit County did not confirm where they would be setting up the sobriety checks, but they usually do it in high traffic areas.  They will be looking for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.  At an OVI checkpoint, police officers stop drivers using a pattern/sequence – for example, stopping every third car. The officers then evaluate drivers of the stopped vehicle for signs of alcohol or drug impairment.  Usually  police officers must have probable cause to stop a vehicle, but the Supreme Court ruled in 1990 DUI checkpoints don’t require probable cause provided that certain criteria are followed.  The Supreme Court decision held the government’s interest in reducing alcohol-related injuries was sufficient to justify a “brief intrusion” of a checkpoint. There are only eleven states do not permit DUI checkpoints.  Hopefully you guys do not need this… but these are your right for DUI Checkpoints.

This year alone in Ohio, there have been over 10,000 drug violations and over 15,000 OVI violations based on traffics stops alone.  Everybody has to drive, so please… be safe when you are driving.  Follow all the traffic laws, because traffic stops usually are the gateway for a lot of other legal issues.