Members of law enforcement in both Kentucky and Indiana have a keen interest in keeping motorists from driving under the influence of alcohol and other substances. According to Prevention First, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent alcohol misuse, sobriety checkpoints are a good way to accomplish this objective.
At sobriety checkpoints, officers stop a random sample of approaching vehicles to determine if their drivers have blood alcohol concentrations above the legal limit. In both Kentucky and Indiana, places where the BAC limit for most drivers is 0.08%, sobriety checkpoints are typically legal.
When do officers set up checkpoints?
Law enforcement generally has broad discretion to set up sobriety checkpoints wherever supervising officers choose. Still, it is most common for these checkpoints to appear around major holidays and drinking days. In the summer, these include the following:
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
If your community has a fair or another summertime celebration, you also can expect officers to think about erecting a sobriety checkpoint somewhere near the venue.
What should you do at a sobriety checkpoint?
If you are approaching a sobriety checkpoint, you should prepare yourself to interact with officers. Generally, it is advisable to say as little as possible. You also may need to hand your driver’s license, registration and insurance documents to officers. If they suspect you may have a BAC beyond the legal limit, officers may ask you to breathe into a testing device.
Failing a breath test at a sobriety checkpoint may lead to your arrest. Ultimately, to prepare for your future defense, it is important to pay close attention to what happens at the checkpoint.