Can drunk driving be stopped
(Melbourne, Florida) 12/02/2006 Melbourne Police set up “sobriety check” to stop drunk driving
In an effort to curb impaired drivers, the Melbourne Police were in place Saturday on Sarno Road in Melbourne.
A flashing sign warned drivers of the potential stop ahead that was being conducted between the hours of 6:30 to 8:30 and 1:00 til 3:00 am.
The Melbourne PD plans on setting up the same type of check point several times during the month of December.
The cars are chosen on a random basis of 1 in every 3 cars that approach the DUI check point up until 2:00 am when the ratio is set to every other vehicle.
Besides being able to detect the smell of an alcoholic beverage from a driver, the officers are trained how to detect other signs of impairment.
If the driver is suspected of DUI, they will be asked to pull in to the parking lot for further field sobriety test and/or breathalyser and blood alcohol tests if necessary.
The required equipment for doing these types of tests were on hand in the adjacent parking lot.
While officers standing post during the early morning hours, (just after most bars and clubs close) to detour the potential drunk driver accident from happening. There are places that are open to keep the party rolling and alcohol is still being served.
Melbourne bottle clubs are open that fill the gap for the drinker between the hours of midnight until six in the morning. On this Saturday night there were close to 30 cars parked outside the Melbourne BYOB club Last Call and 1 taxi cab.
The way this type of establishment gets around the 2:00 am alcohol serving rules, is they sell you back your own drink.
One cab waits outside the local Melbourne drinking establishment while club customers are active outside the bar, in the alleys and across the street in the bank parking lot.
At approximately 2:35 am and just a mile or so from the DUI check point, a drunk driver smashes his car into a concrete light pole. The driver was not injured in the accident, but set on the curb close to his vehicle trying to recall what had happened.
While up the road police officers are trying to enforce the Florida drunk driving laws, other officers and fire department emergency medical team are investigating a crash that was caused by drinking and driving. The bottom line lies on the responsible driver decision to not drink and drive.
This time the driver hit a light pole and was not injured. It could have been another vehicle , injuring or killing another. The only way to stop drunk driving is to not drink and drive.
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