Only 18 DUI arrests made during the previous five police checkpoints
On average, 1.4 percent of drivers stopped by Athens-Clarke County police checkpoints are arrested for DUI. The past five roadblocks on record with the Athens-Clarke County police stopped 1,246 cars and resulted in 18 DUI arrests.
The purpose of the checkpoints is to “check for Driver’s Licenses, equipment violations, and driver impairment,” according to a July 22 report.
Lieutenant Don Eckert of the Athens-Clarke County Traffic Division said sometimes “voluntary compliance” is necessary.
“What we’re trying to do is get information out there, make people aware we’re there and check to make sure people aren’t driving without a license or under the influence,” he said.
Checkpoints are an often occurrence around town and drivers are taking notice. An average of 1.4 percent of drivers stopped at checkpoints are arrested. SEAN TAYLOR/Staff
Eckert said the dates for the checkpoints are done at random and “typically are a manpower issue, based on how many people we have available.”
The three most recent checkpoints occurred on the weekend before classes started, two on Saturday night and one on Sunday morning.
Eckert said the number of arrests varies based on the time of day and day of week.
“At night we’re really more concerned with DUI, and during the day, seatbelt violations and such seem to be more of the focus,” he said. “We really don’t try to have expectations in terms of citations.”
The data from the most recent checkpoints shows no real pattern. The days and times at which the check points are held vary from 8:15 p.m. to 2:10 a.m. with duration between 40 minutes and an hour and a half and between Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Also, no two stops were held in the same place. The checkpoints all seem to be in or around downtown Athens, but police don’t seem to pick the same spot twice.
Eckerd said the drivers seem to vary, too.
“Sometimes we get nothing but students, and sometimes there are no students in sight and it’s all locals,” he said. “It’s really hit and miss.”
The number of cars stopped in the most recent checkpoints varies from 83 to 537. As many as twenty citations have been given in a single checkpoint, and as many as nine DUI arrests.
Eckert said the average age for DUI arrests in Athens-Clarke County is 30, and that around 800 drivers are arrested for DUI yearly.
“You would tend to think that the DUI age would be lower because this is primarily a college town, but the data says differently,” he said.
