What do you need to know about checkpoints in Oklahoma?

Sobriety checkpoints differ from state to state. In Oklahoma, the ENDUI program plays a key role in conducting checkpoints.

The program receives its funding for extra personnel, overtime pay and equipment through a grant provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Officers at the checkpoint

The officers conducting the checkpoint will not stop every vehicle that approaches it. Officers may check only about five or six vehicles at a time, so they may allow your vehicle to pull through if they are full. Law enforcement has specific training to help officers identify impairment of any kind, whether from alcohol, drugs, marijuana or prescription medication.

If an officer believes you show signs of impairment, he or she may move you to a secondary screening area, where you may take a standard field sobriety test.

Saturation patrols around the checkpoint

Keep in mind that when you are near a checkpoint, you may also be in an area where there is a saturation patrol. This means law enforcement is patrolling the area in a high concentration, so an officer is likely to notice if you take any obvious measures to avoid a checkpoint, such as turning suddenly down a side street or making a U-turn (even if it is a legal one).

An officer may not have probable cause to pull you over for one of these actions, but he or she may decide to drive behind you for a few blocks to see if you display any signs of impairment, such as weaving between lanes or driving too fast or too slowly.

This general information about sobriety checkpoints is educational in nature and should not be interpreted as legal advice.