The Hanover County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a Sobriety Checkpoint on Friday, March 18, 2016. This checkpoint is in coordination with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Program and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Saint Patrick's Day Drunk Driving Prevention campaign.
Officers will stop all vehicles passing through the checkpoint, and each driver will be advised of the purpose of the checkpoint and requested to present his or her driver’s license. Any driver suspected of operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol will be directed to a safe area off the roadway for further observation and possible testing for intoxication.
In addition, the Sheriff’s Office will be conducting DUI patrols over the Saint Patrick's Day holiday period.
Statistics indicate there is an increase in intoxicated drivers and alcohol-related traffic crashes around holidays. According to the NHTSA, from 2010 to 2014, 266 people were killed by drunk drivers during the Saint Patrick’s Day holiday period. The Sheriff’s Office continues to work hard at reducing these numbers and making this holiday safe and enjoyable for all those choosing to experience Hanover County.
The maximum penalty in Virginia for the first conviction of driving under the influence is 12 months in jail, a $2500 fine and a 12-month suspension of driving privileges. We encourage you to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. A few minutes of planning will increase your personal safety and will make certain others in our community are safer as well.
