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HARFORD COUNTY - Officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers Friday night in Harford County. The Harford County Sheriff's Office and Maryland State Police will hold a driving while intoxicated checkpoint on St. Patrick's Day.
The location of the checkpoint was not disclosed.
Troopers from all 23 Maryland State Police barracks will be focusing on impaired, aggressive, and distracted driving this holiday weekend.
By law, authorities have to announce the sobriety checkpoint.
Following a Supreme Court case regarding the 4th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, the court ruled that citizens' rights to security against unlawful search and seizure are not violated if the checkpoint is publicized in advance.
Drinkers are encouraged to designate a sober driver, call a cab, or use a ride-share app like Lyft or Uber to avoid impaired driving.
Find more information about Maryland DUI laws on the Maryland Department of Transportation website.
If you are convicted of an impaired driving offense, you face both criminal penalties and license sanctions.
If you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol:
- For a first offense, you face up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail. Twelve (12) points will be assessed on your driving record, and your license may be revoked for up to six (6) months.
- For a second offense, you face a $2,000 fine and up to two years imprisonment (with a mandatory minimum of five days). Twelve (12) points will be assessed on your license, and your license may be revoked for up to one year.
- For two convictions within five years, a mandatory period of suspension will be followed by a minimum required period of participation in the Ignition Interlock Program.
- You may be required to participate in an alcohol abuse assessment and program.
If you are convicted of driving while impaired by alcohol:
- For a first offense, you face up to a $500 fine and up to two months imprisonment. Eight (8) points will be assessed on your driving record, and you face a 6-month license suspension. If this conviction is the result of a driver under 21, you will face a 1-year suspension.
- For a second DWI offense, you face up to a $500 fine and up to one-year imprisonment. Eight (8) points will be assessed on your driving record, and you face a license suspension of 9 to 12 months. If this conviction is the result of a driver under 21, you will face a 2-year suspension.
The penalties are substantially higher if you are transporting a minor at the time of the offense or for a third offense.
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