Ban on sobriety checkpoints?

Sen. Harold French has requested a 2018 Senate bill to ban sobriety checkpoints. Rep. Brian Stone is also sponsoring a House bill to ban sobriety checkpoints.

A sobriety checkpoint is a police roadblock that systematically checks passing drivers for signs of intoxication.

Click here to visit our page on DUI laws in New Hampshire.

Pros and cons

Ideally a sobriety checkpoint doesn't just catch drunk drivers - it deters drinkers from getting behind the wheel in the first place. Sobriety checkpoints are a way for police to make the enforcement of drunk driving laws visible to the public.

Opponents of sobriety checkpoints argue that they rarely catch drunk drivers, and instead subject citizens to unreasonable searches. Drivers are more likely to be cited for offenses unrelated to drunk driving.

Read our Citizen Voices® report to find out what New Hampshire residents had to say about sobriety checkpoints.

Current legal status of checkpoints

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled sobriety checkpoints are constitutional, but some states still ban them.

In New Hampshire the police must get permission from the courts before setting up a sobriety checkpoint. The checkpoint is the publicized in local newspapers.

Have your say

Do you think New Hampshire should ban sobriety checkpoints? Let us know in the comments below.