Beginning this week, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office will partner with Checkpoint Strikeforce to conduct sobriety checkpoints at undisclosed locations throughout St. Mary’s County. These checkpoints are an effort to crack down on impaired drivers and those driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The goal of Sobriety Checkpoints is heighten awareness regarding the dangers associated with impaired driving and to attempt to eradicate fatalities caused by impaired drivers. Sobriety Checkpoints are funded through grants provided by the Maryland Highway Safety Administration and are but one tool in the arsenal used to combat drunk driving. The sobriety checkpoints will be clearly marked with signs, lights and uniformed officers who will be checking for violations and distributing prevention literature.
Maryland has a zero tolerance law. Individuals under the age of 21 are subject to arrest and license suspension or revocation for any amount of alcohol in their blood. For those of legal drinking age, Maryland’s alcohol limit is .08, which can be caused by consuming as little as one drink over a one-hour period. Maryland impaired driving laws are tougher than most states. A driver’s breath alcohol content (BAC) of .07 can also lead to a driving while under the influence of alcohol arrest.
Beware of the false sense of security, Maryland law enforcement organizations have the tools needed to keep impaired drivers off the road and responsible motorists safe. By promoting awareness about the dangers of impaired driving, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office hopes to reduce the number of drivers
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