Evaluation of Charlottesville Checkpoint Operations

Voas, Robert B.; Rhodenizer, Eugene; Lynn, Cheryl · 1985 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report evaluates the effectiveness of a Driver’s License and Sobriety Checkpoint Program implemented by the Charlottesville Police Department from December 30, 1983, to December 31, 1984. The study was motivated by the need to assess whether checkpoint operations—a method where all drivers are stopped regardless of driving behavior—could effectively deter drunk driving and reduce alcohol-related accidents, contrasting with traditional patrol methods that rely on observing erratic driving. The program was funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Office of Highway Safety, with Blacksburg, Virginia, serving as a comparison site lacking such enforcement. During the evaluation period, 94 checkpoint operations were conducted, primarily on Friday and Saturday nights. A total of 23,615 vehicles were stopped. The operational design involved stopping all traffic in one direction at selected sites, interviewing drivers, and conducting sobriety tests and breathalyzer screenings for those suspected of impairment. The study analyzed arrest rates, detection procedures, court outcomes, and public perception through random digit dialing telephone surveys. It also compared accident data in Charlottesville against state trends and the control city to measure program impact. The checkpoints yielded 290 arrests for driving under the influence (DUI), representing approximately 1.2% of stopped drivers, and 386 safety advisories for drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) below the arrest threshold. An additional 141 drivers were cited for license violations. The arrest rate per officer hour at checkpoints (6.5 hours per arrest) was slightly more efficient than traditional patrols (7.9 hours per arrest). Court outcomes were favorable, with a 91% conviction rate for checkpoint cases, comparable to the 94% rate for regular patrol arrests. Three constitutional challenges to the checkpoints were upheld in court. Telephone surveys indicated that over 95% of at-risk drivers were aware of the program, and half had seen checkpoints in operation. The study concluded that the checkpoint program was effective in reducing alcohol-related accidents, which decreased by 13% compared to state trends. The program successfully increased the perceived risk of arrest among drinking drivers and demonstrated that checkpoints could be as productive as traditional patrols in apprehending impaired drivers. The findings support the use of sobriety checkpoints as a viable enforcement strategy for deterring drunk driving and enhancing public safety.

Key finding

The checkpoint program resulted in a 13 percent reduction in alcohol-related accidents and a 91 percent conviction rate for arrested drivers.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 23615

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• dui enforcement

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence