Police will be out in full force in Delaware and Maryland as part of the “Border to Border” multi-jurisdictional deployment. Delaware State Police along with the Delmar, Laurel, Seaford, Bridgeville and Greenwood Police Departments will be partnering with Maryland and Virginia law enforcement agencies to patrol the entire length of U.S. 13 from Virginia to north of the Delaware line. This year’s Border to Border, which has been run by Maryland law enforcement since 2012, will be conducted on Friday, March 16, 2018 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Delaware’s DUI checkpoint enforcement period will be on March 17 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., as follows:
New Castle County on Rt. 7 in Wilmington
New Castle County on Rt. 40 in Bear
Kent County Rt. 13 near Camden
Sussex County SR 1 n/b and s/b, in Rehoboth Beach
Sussex County on Concord Rd. in Seaford
There will be at least one Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) at each checkpoint.
On St. Patrick’s Day, we continually see a spike in impaired driving crashes from year to year. Nationally, from 2012-2016, 269 lives were lost in impaired driving crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. In Delaware, from 2012 to 2016, there have been 62 arrests and 31 crashes resulting in 27 injuries during the holiday period.
A DUI arrest can set you back an average of $10,000 in attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, car towing and repairs, and more. It could also result in the loss of your license and possibly even your job.
“As you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day we want everyone to think of your family, friends and other drivers traveling on our roads in Delaware. Drink responsibly and discourage others from drunk or buzzed driving. If you feel buzzed, you should not drive. Please have a plan before you go out and pick a designated driver who is responsible and will not drink. The Delaware State Police and local law enforcement agencies up and down the state have partnered together to enhance motorists safety with extra patrols and DUI enforcement at checkpoints in all three counties. Think about the safety of others as more families are traveling on Delaware roads.”, according to Sergeant Richard Bratz, Delaware State Police, Public Information Director.
“Don’t push your luck this St. Patrick’s Day. If you are driving, don’t drink and if you are drinking don’t drive. A little planning can go a long way towards providing safety for everyone. Whether it’s booking a hotel room, arranging for a designated driver, or using a taxi or rideshare service, we hope all who celebrate do so safely.”, said Ken Grant, Manager of Public & Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
“This Border to Border effort is an outstanding example of our local communities and neighboring states joining forces to save lives on our roadways. We want everyone to make a plan for a safe and sober ride before celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day.”, said Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Deputy Secretary Jim Ports.
OHS urges motorists to plan ahead. Don’t let a DUI ruin your life. Find a designated driver, call a cab or use a ridesharing service like Lyft or Uber. You can also text saferide to 90000 for a link to a list of Delaware taxi companies as well as download links for the Lyft and Uber apps.
For more information, please visit ohs.delaware.gov and www.arrivealivede.com/Drive-Sober