DUIBlock.com Responds to Article "DWI Checkpoint Alert Site Is Shameless"

Sarasota, FL, July 15, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The following is in response to an article printed in the Albuquerque Journal, Thursday, July 09, 2009 By Charlie Eisenhood “DWI Checkpoint Alert Site Is Shameless.”

DUIBlock.com does not encourage or endorse driving while impaired and strongly agrees that advanced notification of DUI Checkpoints remind everyone to think twice before driving impaired. In the U.S. Supreme Court decision, known as the DUI exception to the Constitution, where Chief Justice Rehnquist stated that “Advance publicity is necessary to reduce the intrusiveness of the checkpoint and increase its deterrent effect.” DUIBlock.com believes that Justice Rehnquist put much consideration on the effect in his decision and it should be followed to the rule of the law.

The concept of DUIBlock.com came from a Law Enforcement officer text messaging a friend alerting him of a sobriety checkpoint in progress. The only difference in their service is that the technology has changed in the distribution of information. This allows them to provide the information to everyone and not only to a privileged few.

Driving impaired is an issue in our society and as a free nation we need to start programs that address the problem through education and information, not fear. Think of the possibilities of spending a small portion of the millions spent on checkpoints and focusing on designated driver programs. It is impossible to stop drinking completely, but we may be able to save someone from hurting the innocent or themselves and their family.

Mr. Eisenhood, in the Albuquerque Journal, quoted facts from a seven year old 2002 report on the effectiveness of DUI roadblocks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated in June 2009 that “data suggest that sobriety checkpoints in combination with publicity can be effective in reducing crashes. However, sobriety checkpoint programs have not achieved a significant general deterrence effect when examined in terms of program awareness, self-reported behavior change, and perception of increased likelihood of being stopped by the police and arrested. There is a need to improve general deterrence so that enforcement programs can be more effective and the crash reduction effects sustained. There is a need to improve the visibility of enforcement programs.” DUIBlock.com's main mission is to increase the visibility of DUI Checkpoints creating the deterrent effect as outlined by Chief Justice Rehnquist.

DUIBlock.com, after providing checkpoint information for one year at no cost to it's subscribers, has recently started charging for its service, as we have incurred more expenses than originally expected. “Capitalism at its purest” as stated in Mr. Eisenhoods’ article, is the billions being made through the prosecution of DUI cases currently clogging our court systems and jails. Also consider the lives being ruined for drinking one or two drinks, who are charged through zero tolerance, not because they are impaired. It is time to work towards reducing the number of people who drive intoxicated through education, instead of prosecution.

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