Saw this and thought it should be posted because of the Saturday March 17th Fundraiser for Moira Shaughnessy in Ardmore. This weekend there are sobriety patrols and checkpoints, otherwise known as DUI checkpoints and patrols. St. Patrick's Day is sometimes considered worse than New Year's Eve. Be safe and smart out there.

From http://www.lowermerion.org/

News Release - Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Lower Merion Police Department to Conduct Sobriety Checkpoints
Lower Merion’s Police Department will be conducting sobriety checkpoints in the Township on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17. A checkpoint, as well as roving DUI Enforcement Patrols, will be set up during the evening and early morning hours along roadways showing a high incidence of impaired driving in the Township.

A sobriety checkpoint is a highly visible, systematic method for stopping vehicles at a selected location to determine whether motorists are operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.

The sobriety checkpoint is being funded by a PennDOT grant and is one of many tools utilized to increase public safety through increased awareness created by high profile enforcement.

"Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest."

PA DUI Info: (Click on this title to read MORE comprehensive information regarding the consequences of getting a DUI and being a repeat DUI offender in PA)

PA's DUI Law

Act 24, which lowered Pennsylvania's legal limit of alcohol from .10 to .08, was signed into law on September 30, 2003. The new Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Law creates a tiered approach toward DUI enforcement and treatment, and includes many changes to the penalties, terms of suspension, fines and other requirements. The combination of an individual's Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level, and prior offenses, determines the licensing requirements and penalties. The new law focuses on treatment for first-time DUI offenders, rather than strictly punishment and suspension.

There are now three levels of DUI:

General Impairment (.08 to .099% BAC)
High BAC (.10 to .159% BAC)
Highest BAC (.16% and higher)

Under the new DUI law minors, commercial drivers, school vehicle or bus drivers, and offenders involved in an accident that injures someone or causes property damage may be subject to the high BAC penalties even if their BAC is not in the high category. Offenders who refuse breath or chemical testing may be subject to the highest BAC penalties. The following charts show the penalties for each of the BAC categories:

General Impairment penalties (Undetermined BAC, .08 to .099% BAC)

Also see: State By State: DUI/DWI laws as of March 2007