Sobriety Checkpoints In Harford County On 'Blackout Wednesday'

BEL AIR, MD —The Maryland State Police Bel Air Barrack announced Thursday that it will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint in Harford County on Wednesday Nov. 24, which is the night before Thanksgiving.

The police did not identify the location of the checkpoint, but said it is designed to locate impaired drivers and to promote public awareness of the dangers of impaired driving.

In addition to the checkpoint, additional troopers will out conducting DUI patrols throughout the holiday weekend, police said.

According to LifeSaver.com, the day before Thanksgiving is sometimes called "Blackout Wednesday," and some bars rate it as the biggest night for parties of the year.

"One reason that heavy drinking is more likely (the night before Thanksgiving) is that students have arrived home, and are generally free of responsibilities for a few days," LifeSaver.com wrote. "It's also a chance to see relatives and old friends that one hasn't seen all semester. Some of the students have just reached legal drinking age. The result is an attempt to make up for drinking times lost. Four days, they feel, gives them plenty of time to sober up."

If people are going out for the night, the Maryland State Police remind them that the cost of a ride home is cheap, but the cost of a DUI is not.

The police recommend that people choose a designated driver, download NHTSA's SafeRide mobile app, which is available for Android and Apple devices, or one of the other rideshare apps.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include: jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions and other expenses that can exceed $10,000, the state police said.