Statewide Enforcement Checkpoints Aim to Reduce DUI-Related Crashes & Fatalities 

(Dover, DE) – On Thursday, June 13^th, Attorney General Kathy Jennings swore in 53 officers representing jurisdictions from New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties to serve as part of the Checkpoint StrikeForce (CPSF) and other checkpoints that will take place throughout the state this year. Impaired driving is an on-going threat that claims dozens of lives on Delaware’s roadways every year. In 2019 alone, there have been more than half a dozen fatalities attributed to impaired-driving and more than 1,860 DUI arrests.

“Driving drunk or buzzed is reckless, needless, and illegal, but more than 4,000 DUI arrests last year alone show that we must stay vigilant about protecting our roads from those who get behind the wheel of a car when they shouldn’t,” says Kathy Jennings, Attorney General for the State of Delaware. “I’m grateful to the officers within CheckPoint StrikeForce for keeping all of us safe and for sending a strong message that Delaware is serious about stopping drunk driving and preventing crashes.”

The 2019 CPSF initiative consists of five DUI checkpoints across the State occurring on multiple occasions throughout the year, in addition to checkpoints conducted by local municipalities and saturation patrols.

“I was thoroughly impressed by the multi-agency response and the 50+ officers that were sworn in today to join the CheckPoint StrikeForce campaign,” says Christopher Klein, Acting Director of the Office of Highway Safety (OHS). “This Highway Safety initiative is one of the tools utilized to bring meaningful reductions to impairment-related crashes, and is only successful as a result of all of the dedicated law enforcement officers that have taken the oath to enforce Delaware’s DUI laws.”

The Office of Highway Safety is providing overtime funds to law enforcement this summer and throughout the year to enforce the State’s DUI laws. In addition, OHS is running statewide marketing and education campaigns to encourage drivers to Arrive Alive. OHS’s newest impairment campaign, Don’t Blow It, focuses on the consequences of drivers being alcohol-impaired when their blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) are .08 g/dl or higher. A DUI can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. It can also lead to an arrest, or worse, to death.

Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist II and Public Information Officer for OHS, recommends the following tips for Delaware drivers to Arrive Alive:

• It is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve only had one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan a sober ride home. Take Uber, Lyft, or a cab. For an up-to-date list of rideshare options near you, go to http://www.arrivealivede.com/Drive-Sober/Safe-Rides#wilmington.
• Use public transportation to get home safely. For current bus schedules and locations, visit https://dartfirststate.com/.
• Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app at www.nhtsa.gov/link/saferride/. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
• Make the commitment to only driving when you’re 100-percent sober.

“There is absolutely no reason, whatsoever, why anyone should drive home impaired,” says Cavett. “With the abundance of ride-share and public transportation availability across the state, there are more options now than ever before for ensuring a safe and sober ride home.”

Frequently asked questions on the consequences of life after a DUI can be found at http://www.arrivealivede.com/Drive-Sober/FAQs.  For more information on Delaware DUI fatalities and arrests, visit http://www.arrivealivede.com/DriveSober.

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About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.

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