

Attorney Grant C. Travis
Attorney Chad J. Vilushis
Attorney Douglas G. McCormick
| 100 State St. • Ste. 210 • Erie, PA • 16507 Call us: 814-455-3839 • Driving Directions |
| 102 Lorna Lane • Edinboro, PA • 16412 Call us: 814-734-6076 • Driving Directions |
| 400 Market Street • Warren, PA • 16365 Call us: 814-723-6120 • Driving Directions |
Pennsylvania residents can start getting prepared for more long lines at DUI check points and being treated as though they’re being accused of something, while just driving along their way to get some place. This comes as a result of announcement made by the State Police Commissioner, Frank E. Pawlowski, in which he stated that Pennsylvania residents can expect more checkpoints this coming year. This begs the question: Do checkpoints really help identify and attain more DUI arrests in PA, or is it simply a violation of citizens’ rights?
Yes, checkpoints in Pennsylvania may get more intoxicated people off the road. However, what these checkpoints also do is not only treat law-abiding citizens like criminals, it also creates many more DUI arrests in PA that may involve people who are completely innocent. The problem is that although checkpoints may on the surface look at the number of DUI arrests, these numbers also don’t usually include how many convictions came from those arrests. And just because someone is arrested, it doesn’t mean they are guilty.
So what about the people who are arrested of DUI at a checkpoint in Pennsylvania, but that were not drunk? There are many cases of this. A person is stopped at a checkpoint, and they are taking medication or are under heavy fatigue and may appear drunk to the police officer. The officer arrests the individual, and the statistics on DUI arrests in PA as a direct result of a checkpoint go up. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the checkpoints are effective, or that they are getting more intoxicated people off the road. Diabetics are one of the largest groups that are wrongly arrested of DUI in PA simply because when there are changes in their condition, it can affect the person’s behavior or physical ability.
The problem is very complicated, and there are many facets to the different areas of Pennsylvania DUI procedures that need to be corrected in order to make sure that DUI arrests only arrest those that are in fact, driving under the influence. However, there is enough data at this point to realize that checkpoints are not only ineffective, but that they contribute to the problems within Pennsylvania DUI procedures, and do not help solve them. Instead of initiating more checkpoints for a longer period of time, there needs to be more focus on properly identifying those who are truly under the influence, and dealing with them alone.
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