DUI Checkpoints

DUI checkpoints are used throughout California to find and arrest drunk drivers. These checkpoints are commonly found on the highways or surface streets. If the symptoms of a DUI are noticed, the driver will be requested to step out of the vehicle and perform field sobriety tests at the scene.

The United States Supreme Court found in the case of Michigan Department of State Police v. Sitz, 496 U.S., 444 (190) that DUI checkpoints do not violate the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures and sobriety checkpoints outweighed the constitutional rights of the individual citizen. It was ruled that interests of government in identifying DUI drivers, reducing the fatalities overturned, the intrusion of human privacy rights, and sobriety checkpoints, were acceptable.

DUI lawyers must consider the accuracy and adequacy of the procedures employed. Chief Justice Rehnquist has acknowledged that there should be some “guidelines” in place to conduct a sobriety test in a permissible manner. The California Supreme Court put forward the best safeguards required for the sobriety checkpoint to comply with the Constitution. Ingersoll v. Palmer, 743 P.2d 1299 (Cal. 1987).

FIND SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT LOCATIONS

The following resources contain more information on where the find DUI checkpoints near you:

• California DUI Checkpoints: Recent Alerts A listing of recent alerts and planned checkpoints in California.
• Current California DUI Checkpoint Locations California DUI Checkpoint Information given through alerts on Facebook.
• Orange California DUI Checkpoints Alerts for sobriety checkpoints throughout Orange County — Irvine, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Fullerton, etc.
• Checkpoint Alerts Real-time SMS text alerts for Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire and San Diego.
• Local Los Angeles DUI Checkpoints Recent text message and email location alerts.
• Riverside Sobriety Checkpoints DUI Roadblock text and email alerts throughout Riverside County: Murrieta, Indio, Corona, Temecula, etc.
• San Bernardino DUI Checkpoints Alerts for cities in San Bernardino County: San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Chino, Redlands, etc.
• Orange County DUI Checkpoints  Alerts for sobriety checkpoints throughout Orange County — Irvine, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Fullerton, etc.
• Latest DUI Checkpoint Locations A Twitter profile providing tweets about DUI checkpoint locations with an emphasis on California, Ohio, and Florida.
• Latest Orange County DUI Checkpoints A Twitter profile focused on sobriety checkpoints for Orange County.

LEGALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF DUI CHECKPOINTS

What is the Purpose of DUI Checkpoints? The theoretical purpose of DUI sobriety checkpoints is to detect and apprehend drunk drivers. However, this has proven to be, in fact, secondary to other purposes -- such as a dragnet to raise revenue from citations for traffic, license, registration and equipment violations. See "DUI Roadblocks for Fun and Profit". Another primary purpose has been a deterrent one -- that is, to simply deter people from driving. See "Police Department Explains Real Purpose of DUI Roadblocks: Shock and Awe".

• Sobriety Checkpoint Issues Discussion of guidelines and requirements in setting up DUI roadblocks in California.
• US Supreme Court Decision on Sobriety Checkpoints The Court’s complete landmark opinion in Michigan v. Sitz.
• National Sobriety Checkpoint Laws A chart from Governors Highway Safety Association of the sobriety checkpoint laws. Confirmed by the Federal Government NHTSA Studies and indicated by Michigan Court of Appeals: The net effect of sobriety checkpoints on traffic safety is small and possibly negative.
• General Information About Random DUI Checkpoints
• Legal Issues of DUI Checkpoints
• California Supreme Court decision on standards for DUI sobriety checkpoints