Shelby County, DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office to conduct sobriety roadside safety checkpoints | News

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office along with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting two DUI sobriety checkpoints at two pre-determined locations due to area crash data on alcohol related crashes.

This is a joint DUI Enforcement Initiative to deter and detect alcohol violations and prevent motor vehicles crashes involving motorist who have been consuming alcohol.

The first checkpoint will be conducted at Hacks Cross/ Stateline Rd from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and the second checkpoint will be conducted at Riverdale/ Stateline Rd from 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. January 4.

Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and injures 305,000 others every year in the United States.

In 2009, nearly one-third of those killed in crashes on our Tennessee highways involves drivers or motorcycle operators with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or above at the time of the deadly crash - according to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.

Officers will evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment.

Officers will also target those who operate a vehicle while impaired and take corrective actions for other violations observed while ensuring the protection of all motorists.

Shelby County Sheriff’s DUI Officers working this checkpoint will be 100 percent funded with federal grant dollars.