Prince George’s County DUI Checkpoints
Prince George’s County DUI checkpoints are designed to prevent drivers who are under the influence from endangering others on the road. However, there are times where mistakes happen. If you made a mistake and wish to demonstrate to a court that you are dedicated to self-improvement, an attorney could help you by drafting a defense and point you toward proactive steps to take.
Common Places for DUI Stops and Checkpoints in Prince George’s County
DUI stops and checkpoints occur in many areas. Prince George’s County is an exceptionally large County. I-495/I-95 are the main roads, then Crain Highway (US 301) and MD-4, which cuts across toward DC, out towards Calvert County. These are some of the largest areas where there are a lot of vehicles being stopped. In this large land mass lies Prince George’s County Community College which has a lot of traffic, as well as the University of Maryland, College Park. There are also some golf clubs throughout the area where individuals play a few holes, have a few drinks, and then drive home. There has certainly been enough law enforcement in Bowie with regards to Bowie State University area. They are on the edge of Anne Arundel County which is a high percentage of enforcement. They also have Montgomery County which has police posted as well.
Six Flags America is sitting out there on MD 193, visible from MD 214 and from I-495/I-95. They know how to get there, so did the police. People follow the signs to the main attractions. They should know they are going to be in a location that has a lot of people and should expect to have high enforcement.
Largo, a community within the county, has a large company of law enforcement officers. FedEx Field is not far away from there. The Greater Landover area and Landover Hills have had a large increase in population in recent years, and so has Carrollton. Baltimore Washington Parkway runs through this area. The United States District Court is in Greenbelt which has a lot of federal property. If someone is stopped on federal property, they would end up in federal court. There is a lot of action going on in these areas and it is going to be covered by police.
A lot of attention goes into Prince George’s County. It is a city center with lots of highways that cross through it and plenty of areas where different law enforcement interact (county, local, state and federal officers).
With regards to DUI checkpoints in Maryland, sobriety checkpoints are legal in Maryland.
The DUI Stop/Checkpoint Process
Checkpoints have to be done quite consistent every time. Officers quickly interview people as they come to a stop at the checkpoint and if officers have any suspicion, they ask the driver to pull to the side. With regards to probable cause, that certainly requires police officers to make a traffic stop. But with regards to the dangers of DUIs, the United States Supreme Court has said that the degree of intrusion, this minimal effort to just look for suspicion, is acceptable.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) model has guidelines for the police when they do this particular checkpoint. People have to be exceptionally careful. People could actually go online to see that the police are out there and where the DUI checkpoints are. They could see where they have been throughout Maryland each month.
Law enforcement is putting a lot of effort into taking DUIs off the street. The expectation that people may run into DUI checkpoints is pretty good. Every driver should be very mindful of where they are driving and when they do choose to drive, they should make sure they are a sober driver or call a Lyft, Uber, or cab.
Contact a Legal Representative Today
Because of the seriousness of DUI charges, it would behoove any driver accused of driving under the influence to work with an experienced defense attorney. Prince George’s County DUI checkpoints are a means for officers to search for suspicion of a crime. However, there are times where an office might violate your rights during a search. An attorney could view your case and fight charges while protecting your rights. Call today.