The St. Louis County Police Department Highway Safety Team will be checking motorists in an effort to reduce the number of drunk drivers on our streets and highways. Specially trained officers will set up and operate a sobriety checkpoint on Friday, April 21, 2006, in the Affton Precinct. Hours of operation will be from 10:30 PM to 3:00 AM the following morning. The location was selected for the special enforcement because of alcohol-related accidents at or near the location in recent months. Inconvenience to motorists will be minimal. The officers assigned to the checkpoints have had additional training in the recognition of motorists who have had too much to drink. These officers will funnel down traffic into one lane and stop vehicles to speak with the driver. Drivers who appear to be intoxicated will be removed from their cars and given a series of field sobriety tests to evaluate their motor skills. At each checkpoint for further DWI processing will be a "Bat Van," a mobile breath alcohol testing unit, conducting on site breath tests. Officers will also issue citations for seat belt and other violations. The goal of these Sobriety Checkpoints is to reduce alcohol-related accidents as well as to increase seat belt use.
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