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State senator proposes sobriety checkpoints for Oregon

Oregon police have a variety of weapons in their arsenal when it comes to stopping drunk driving. They have patrols, breath tests, blood tests, field sobriety tests and more. However, in Oregon it has been illegal to use sobriety check points to identify drunk drivers. In 1987, a constitutional amendment was passed that outlawed the process. However, more than 30 other states use checkpoints as a way to search for and stop drunk drivers.

Now, debate about sobriety checkpoints has heated up in Oregon, despite falling numbers of DUI-related deaths in the state. State Senator Rod Monroe has claimed that he will introduce legislation that will bring back checkpoints to Oregon. This legislation would let police stop cars at random roadblocks. During these stops police would look for visual signs of driver impairment.

If this legislation is passed, police could have the ability to ask people to leave their cars if police spotted visual signs of intoxication. At that point, police would have the authority to perform DUI testing like field sobriety and breath tests.

However, in order to be placed into action, this law would need to make it through the legislature and then on to Oregon voters. It could be on the ballet in 2016, however, many people oppose the measure.

Oregon residents that have been accused of drunk driving should make sure they understand their legal rights. Currently, they cannot be stopped at a sobriety check point. Also, police generally need a reason to pull their car over in the first place to check for sobriety. The police have other rules that must be followed as DUI testing is administered. If these rules are violated, a strong criminal defense could result in dropped or reduced charges.

Source: KGW, "Sobriety checkpoints could return to Oregon roads," Maggie Vespa, Feb. 2, 2015

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