Brittany Horn

The News Journal

Checkpoints are slated for Wilmington, Bear, Dover, Rehoboth Beach and Millsboro on Saturday.

Officers will be looking for drivers who are operating their vehicles under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Drivers, be warned: DUI checkpoints are slated for Wilmington, Bear, Dover, Rehoboth Beach and Millsboro this weekend.

More than 75 officers from throughout Delaware will man five checkpoints across the state Saturday night to crack down on impaired driving, according to the state Office of Highway Safety. The intent of the organization is to help shift habits the office believes can be changed by drivers.

The goal is to deter drunk driving rather than arrest hundreds of people, said Newport Police Chief Michael Capriglione, who has overseen Checkpoint Strikeforce since its inception 15 years ago.

"The success numbers are at the end of the year when we see fatal car crashes have gone down," he said. "That's what our goal is, to reduce our fatalities on the highways."

Those hitting the roads should see the checkpoints long before they get to them, the chief said. The state Department of Transportation will help set up lights and cones to reduce traffic to one lane at the checkpoint. All vehicles will be required to drive through, Capriglione said.

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Police will also have emergency lights flashing to signal the upcoming checkpoint, he said.

Once drivers get to the checkpoint, police will look for probable cause or reason to believe the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Capriglione said.

Delaware operates under an "implied consent” law, which means those driving in the state and suspected of a DUI voluntarily agree to a chemical test in order to determine Blood Alcohol Content. Refusing to take a test results in immediate consequences, including loss of license.

"This time of year, there are a lot of Christmas parties," he said. "We want people to realize we're there. With Uber today and designated drivers, we really need people to take responsibility."

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Last month, the office launched a holiday campaign to help raise awareness about the dangers associated with driving this time of year. The campaign, "Safe Family Holiday,” focuses on the office's theme of “It’s the most dangerous time of the year" and aims to get drivers to their destinations alive.

So far this year, 111 people have been killed in Delaware crashes, and more than 3,400 drivers were arrested as of early November for DUI. Most fatal crashes occur between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m., according to the Office of Highway Safety.

“Given these statistics, it’s vital that everyone pay attention when driving during the holiday season,” said Lisa Flowers, community relations officer. “We are launching this important campaign to raise awareness of the increased dangers associated with holiday driving and to reduce crashes and fatalities on Delaware roadways during the upcoming holiday season."

Past checkpoints have helped net hundreds of drivers since Checkpoint Strikeforce started 15 years ago. The specific locations of this weekend's checkpoints were not released by the office.

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.