Posted in Car Accident,Drunk Driving,Tennessee Accident Law on March 26, 2015
Sobriety Checkpoints Planned for March 27 and April 3 in Cookeville
The Tennessee Highway Patrol will set up sobriety checkpoints in Putnam County on Friday, March 27, as well as the following Friday, April 3, in order to catch drivers who get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
According to a report by the Herald-Citizen, the checkpoints will run from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on those nights.
The checkpoint on March 27 will be located at Highway 290 near Cumby Road in Cookeville, Tennessee, while the second checkpoint is scheduled for Highway 56 at Buffalo Valley Road.
A spokesperson for the THP says that the checkpoints are designed to allow officers to quickly evaluate drivers for signs of drug and alcohol intoxication in order to get them off the streets and protect other drivers.
The THP goes on to state that impaired driving kills more than 16,000 people every year in the United States, with another 305,000 suffering serious injuries.
The Cookeville car accident lawyers at Matt Hardin Law are thankful for the THP’s efforts in helping to discourage people from getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs and their efforts in getting offenders off the street.
What to Know about Sobriety Checkpoints
Sobriety checkpoints help get drivers who are impaired due to the use of drugs or alcohol off the road so that they can’t harm innocent drivers. Most sobrierty checkpoints are scheduled for Friday nights, as these nights tend to have the most DUI arrests in Tennessee. Some important facts about sobriety checkpoints include:
The state of Tennessee allows sobriety checkpoints to take place under the federal and state constitutions. Although some drivers may believe these checkpoints aren’t allowed under state law, they are fully legal in the state of Tennessee.
While sobriety checkpoints are designed to catch drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they’re also effective at finding drivers who are unlicensed, driving on suspended licenses, driving without insurance, driving without seat belts, driving with broken taillights, and more. These inspections help alert drivers to the potential hazards they pose to other motorists.
The most common way that state troopers and police test drivers’ blood alcohol level is by administering field sobriety tests and breathalyzers. Field sobriety tests measure the driver’s vision and dexterity—two things that are often impaired after drinking alcohol—while breathalyzer measure the level of alcohol in their bloodstreams. In some cases, police may obtain warrants to obtain small vials of blood for quicker and more accurate blood alcohol level testing.
In Tennessee, refusing a breathalyzer or field sobriety test can mean the automatic suspension of driver’s license for one year. Second and third offenses and refusals result in automatic two-year license suspensions. Many drivers who refuse to take field sobriety or breathalyzers tests are still found guilty of DUI or driving while intoxicated after their arrests and receive the full fine and punishment, which can include jail time even for first-time offenders.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Cookeville car accident have helped many victims whose lives were forever changed due to drivers who were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and we’re glad to see the Tennessee Highway Patrol take a hard stance on driving while intoxicated.
If you or someone you love was injured by an intoxicated driver, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other accident-related expenses. Get in touch with our legal team today by dialing (931) 754-1188 or filling out a free online form.
