Sobriety Checkpoint In Harford County Planned November 27

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Drivers, be warned: The Maryland State Police Bel Air Barrack will hold a sobriety checkpoint Wednesday, Nov. 27. More troopers will be on roads across the state starting Wednesday, according to officials, who say the plan is to have additional law enforcement on state roads through the weekend.

The goal of the sobriety checkpoint Wednesday is to find impaired drivers and raise awareness about how dangerous it is to drive impaired, according to Maryland State Police.

Officials remind drivers it can cost up to $10,000 to get a DUI charge.

"Someone arrested for impaired driving can expect to spend around $10,000 for legal fees, fines, lost wages and other costs," Maryland State Police said in a statement. "If a crash is involved, the cost goes up exponentially, and you cannot place a price on a life lost in a DUI crash."

Troopers arrested 130 people for driving under the influence last Thanksgiving weekend, officials said; from Nov. 22 to 27, 2018, they said they issued more than 4,500 citations and stopped more than 7,300 vehicles.

By law, authorities have to announce the sobriety checkpoint.

Following a Supreme Court case regarding the 4th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, the court ruled that citizens' rights to security against unlawful search and seizure are not violated if the checkpoint is publicized in advance.

Designate a sober driver or get the Safer Ride app, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It pulls up taxi services in the area.

Here are some numbers for local cabs:

• Victory Cab in Aberdeen: 410-838-5700
• ABC Taxi in Aberdeen: 410-272-0272
• Montville Taxi in Havre de Grace: 410-939-0900
• We Got Cha Taxi in Aberdeen: 410-937-7917

Beginning Wednesday and lasting through Thanksgiving weekend, troopers from all 23 Maryland State Police barracks will be on the lookout for drivers who are impaired, aggressive or distracted. Officials say they will be stationed in areas with high frequencies of impaired driving arrests or crashes.

Expect to see more law enforcement watching for speeders on highways such as I-95, I-695 and I-495, police advised.