Checkpoint Strikeforce: Prince William Police Watching For Drunk Drivers

In an effort to ensure that too much holiday cheer does not endanger lives this holiday season, Prince William County police will be conducting sobriety checkpoints and stepping up DUI enforcement.

The Prince William County Police Department is participating in the state’s Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign. The theme of this year's campaign, which continues through Jan. 1, 2014, is Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. 

Checkpoint Strikeforce is a research-based, multi-state, zero-tolerance initiative designed to get impaired drivers off our roads using checkpoints and patrols when and where drunk driving is most likely to occur — such as the current holiday season.

The campaign also educates the public about the dangers and consequences of drunk driving. The premise behind this program is simple: There will be sobriety checkpoints, every week, everywhere, so you never know when or where you may encounter one.

In addition, Prince William County police will continue conducting targeted DUI enforcement on county roadways through Jan. 1.

The department hopes the enforcement effort serves dual purposes: to deter and detect drunk and impaired drivers, and to make the public more conscious of the dangers of operating a vehicle while impaired and the penalty for doing so. 

If you are going to be drinking, police encourage you to stay put, designate a sober driver in advance of holiday partying, or choose alternative methods, such as SoberRide, for returning from events that include the consumption of alcohol.

According to statistics compiled by the Virginia  Department of Motor Vehicles, drunk driving fatalities have declined for five consecutive years — down 35 percent from 2008 through 2012.

Last year, 229 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes, a more than 6 percent decrease from 2011. However, drunk driving still accounted for nearly 30% of Virginia's total traffic fatalities in 2012.

"While we are very encouraged by the progress made in recent years through our law enforcement efforts, by no means have we declared victory in the battle against drunk driving," Governor Bob McDonnell said earlier this year in kicking off the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign.

"Until the day comes when Virginians are no longer threatened by the dangers of this senseless crime," he added, "we must remain diligent in our efforts to prevent such crimes through education and enforcement."