Officers put up DUI checkpoints, also called sobriety checkpoints, along roads with a high rate of DUI drivers.
However, plenty of people have valid reasons to avoid DUI checkpoints. Is it possible to avoid them safely? Fortunately, the answer is yes.
Follow the rules of the road
LifeSafer discusses how to safely and legally avoid DUI checkpoints. First and foremost: never try to avoid a DUI checkpoint in a way that would break the rules of the road.
This means that when taking a new route, you cannot take illegal U-turns, illegal turns, sudden stops or drive into the wrong lane of traffic. You also cannot drive aggressively or in a way that puts other drivers at risk.
Look for a good alternate path
Instead, keep an eye out for alternative routes. In some states, officers must provide them by law to those who wish to avoid the DUI checkpoint. In other states, even if it is not law, officers will provide alternate routes out of courtesy.
For those who do not see an alternate route posted, it is still possible to make your own. Use google maps or other similar navigational equipment on a phone or dashboard device to safely change your path.
If you need to get out of the way quickly, just make sure that you follow the rules of the road in doing so. Keep in mind that an officer can pull you over for breaking these rules if they witness it, which would essentially defeat the purpose of trying to avoid the DUI stop in the first place.
