Most communities institute checkpoints in order to ensure that there are fewer drunk drivers on the roads during the holidays. Miami police authorities, for example, routinely put up checkpoints at strategic locations in order to ensure that drivers aren’t taking risks that can lead to Miami drunk driving accidents. Sober drivers have nothing to fear from checkpoints – these checkpoints do not delay sober drivers and help keep streets safer.
Unfortunately, there is a trend in recent years to report checkpoints and their locations. Many police authorities frown on this practice, as it allows drivers who have been drinking to simply avoid the checkpoints. In effect, this can help increase the risk of Miami car accidents in a number of ways:
1) It sends the wrong message about DUI checkpoints. Checkpoints are not meant to be punishment. They remind people that drunk driving causes Miami traffic accidents and ensure that drunk drivers are removed from the roads before they can cause a serious collision. By reporting on the location of a checkpoint, drivers are sending the message that checkpoints are not that important and can be avoided. This is just not the case; checkpoints can save lives and police authorities in some cases give up time with their families to man checkpoints. The courteous thing to do is to stop at the checkpoints and to not report their location.
2) It allows those who drink and drive to avoid the checkpoints and keep driving. Reporting a checkpoint makes it easy for drivers who have been drinking to continue drinking and driving. In some cases, a driver who has been drinking may need to go out of their way to avoid a checkpoint, increasing the length of road traveled under the influence and increasing the risk of a deadly Miami pedestrian accident or traffic accident. By not reporting checkpoints, you increase the chances that drunk drivers will be removed from the roads before they can harm someone.
3) It does not allow authorities to gather accurate information about drinking and driving. In addition to stopping drunk drivers, Miami police gather information during checkpoints. This allows them to see how prevalent a problem DUI is in some areas. In cases where DUI is a problem, Miami police can institute new policies and programs to reduce instances of drunk driving. If checkpoints are reported, drunk drivers avoid the checkpoints and police cannot gather the information they need to create life-saving educational and preventative programs.
The right thing to do at a checkpoint is to stop, cooperate with police, and carry on without reporting the location of the checkpoint. Encourage others you know not to report checkpoints. Not allowing drunk drivers to avoid these police programs ensures that drunk drivers are removed from the road before they cause an accident. Keeping the location of sobriety checkpoints quiet is one way you can help stop Miami drunk driving accidents.
If you are injured by a drunk driver, contact the Flaxman Law Group to find out how much your case might be worth. If someone negligently and recklessly harms you while drinking and driving, you deserve help paying for medical costs and other expenses related to your accident. Contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a free accident consultation to learn more.