Sobriety checkpoints set up to scare would-be drunken drivers on Halloween weekend
Jerry Smith
Police checkpoints this weekend are designed to help combat drunken driving arrests that continue to rise each year as Halloween nears and revelers party early.
The frightening stats: An average of 77 drunken driving arrests were made each of the last three years between Oct. 27 and Nov. 1.
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In an effort to scare partiers who head to the bars and restaurants on the weekend before Halloween, checkpoints will be in place Saturday in Newark, Dover and Millsboro from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. as part of operation CheckPoint StrikeForce.
Officers will be manning one in each county:
- New Castle County: Del. 72 in Newark
- Kent County: U.S. 13 in Dover
- Sussex County: Del. 24 in Millsboro
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"If you know you’re going to go out and party for Halloween, make sure you plan accordingly and have a sober ride to get you home,” said Kimberly Chesser of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, which is organizing the event.
Across the state line in Cecil County, Maryland, troopers from the North East Barrack will be deploying DUI saturation patrols throughout the weekend and through Halloween night, according to a Maryland State Police release.
Drunken driving is not only deadly; it’s also costly, according to the MSP. Even if you’re not killed or injured in a crash, you can face jail time, the loss of your driver’s license, higher insurance, attorney fees, court costs, car towing bill and repairs and lost wages due to missing work.
On average, you could pay as much as $10,000 for your DUI.
Reach Jerry Smith at jsmith17@delawareonline.com. follow him on Twitter at @JerrySmithTNJ.