On Thursday, Sept. 24, the West Virginia State Police will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in Greenbrier County. The checkpoint will be conducted in Fairlea along U.S. Highway 219 North from 6 p.m. until midnight.
The purpose of a sobriety checkpoint is to detect and deter impaired drivers as well as to educate the motoring public of the dangers created by operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 32 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes every day, which is one person every 44 minutes. About 30% of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers.
In West Virginia, a conviction for impaired driving resulting in death carries prison sentences from 3 to 30 years depending on the circumstances. A conviction for impaired driving causing bodily injury carries sentences ranging from 2 to 10 years depending on the circumstances.
As a determination for a DUI charge, West Virginia law sets the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit at .08% for those over the age of 21. For those under the age of 21, the BAC limit is .02%. A driver with a BAC over .149% faces increased penalties. Penalties for a DUI conviction result in suspension of driver’s license, fines, and varying amounts of jail time. Driving while impaired by drugs carries the same consequences as driving while impaired by alcohol.
There are numerous websites (and even apps) with charts and calculators to learn about factors that combine to determine one’s BAC. Understanding how factors affect BAC can help one avoid legal problems, but more importantly, save lives.
The West Virginia State Police urges the public to assist law enforcement in helping to keep the streets and highways of communities safe by reporting impaired drivers.
