Those who drive under the influence of alcohol continue to account for an unacceptable number of serious accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities involving law-abiding vehicle occupants. The average number of DUI fatalities in Mississippi continues to place our state among the top ten in the country involving drunk driving crashes. A study by 24/7 Wall Street reported that Mississippi ranked fifth in the country for highest number of drunk driving deaths per capita. While drunk driving accounts for approximately a third of traffic-related fatalities, intoxicated drivers cause a significantly higher number of driving-related deaths in Mississippi on a per mile driven basis. The substantial risk to vehicle occupants of being involved in a serious car accident with an intoxicated driver makes the use of sobriety checkpoints an appealing countermeasure for promoting vehicle safety.
However, our Mississippi auto accident lawyers recognize there are a great number of critics that believe DUI sobriety checkpoints have limited effectiveness in preventing alcohol-related car accidents. Critics of checkpoints contend that few drunk drivers are actually arrested for driving under the influence at sobriety roadblocks. Sobriety checkpoint advocates counter that this DUI enforcement tool is a mechanism for deterring potential drunk drivers. While it is probably reasonable to assume that DUI sobriety checkpoints serve as a reasonable deterrent to moderate and social drinkers, they probably have minimal impact on habitual drinkers.
Opponents of sobriety checkpoints claim that less than two percent of drivers that pass through sobriety checkpoints are actually arrested for DUI on a national basis. This contention is misleading for a couple of reasons. First, the purpose of DUI checkpoints is not to arrest drivers but rather to encourage those who might otherwise choose to drive while intoxicated to make alternative arrangements. Further, given the millions of people who pass through DUI sobriety checkpoints, even a small percentage of DUI arrest amounts to tens of thousands of DUI drivers that are removed from U.S. roadways.
Another key factor rarely considered when evaluating the effectiveness of sobriety checkpoints in promoting public safety is the fact that many motorists removed from the road do not have a valid driver’s license. Drivers who are operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license may never have satisfied the requirements to obtain a license, or they might have had their driving privileges suspended or revoked because of accidents, DUI convictions, or other traffic violations. When considering the effectiveness of sobriety checkpoints, the fact that a substantial number of drivers without a valid license are removed from the road also must be considered a safety advantage. While checking to see if drivers have a valid license cannot be the focus of a sobriety checkpoint, it is a secondary benefit.
Admittedly, reasonable minds might differ on whether the economics of sobriety checkpoints makes them the most cost-effective method of preventing collisions involving intoxicated drivers. However, there can be little doubt that removing intoxicated and unlicensed driver from our roads makes others safer. If you or a loved one has been injured in a drunk driving accident in Mississippi, our law firm aggressively seeks compensation for motor vehicle accident victims. At Barrett Law, our Mississippi Car Accident Lawyer is here to help. Contact our firm today at (601)790-1505 to schedule your free consultation, so we can answer any questions you may have regarding filing your claim.
