Labor Day weekend means DUI checkpoints


By Holly Wells
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 2, 2005

Many students believe a three-day weekend is just one more reason to party, but sobriety checkpoints may influence some plans.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the Southern Arizona Driving Under the Influence task force will be setting up sobriety checkpoints tomorrow for the first time in nearly 10 years.

The operation will start at 10 p.m., and the location of the checkpoints will be announced tomorrow, according to a press release.

Aerospace engineering junior Shane Donovan, who is going to a friend's party this weekend, said the checkpoints are a bummer.

"Friends will drive me or else I'll just crash somewhere," he said. "It's too risky to drive even if you only drank a little."

This year 15 people have died on Pima County roads in accidents involving alcohol, the release stated.

Between January and July of this year the Pima County Sheriff's Department has given out more than 1,000 DUIs, according to the release.

Retail and consumer science junior Jimmy Bryant said the checkpoints wouldn't affect him because he doesn't drink.

"I think it's a good idea. It will make people more accountable," Bryant said.

Recent studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that checkpoints deter impaired motorists, according to its Web site.

Undeclared junior Jennifer Isaac said the checkpoints won't change her plans to go out this weekend, but she will be more cautious.

Isaac said she doesn't believe checkpoints will be that effective because drunken drivers will find a way to go around.

Several messages left for the Pima County Sheriff's office were not returned by deadline.