Last weekend to enjoy Summer starts right now, but you should probably keep your eyes open all weekend. You can expect law enforcement to be out in full force looking to catch people drinking and driving.
For those out-of-towners, Florida’s DUI laws are a little different than other state’s laws. FL uses sobriety checkpoints and has a zero tolerance policy for those busted. Drivers need to understand how these policies work before they go party on this Labor Day weekend. Florida law enforcement uses sobriety checkpoints, but they’re not always scheduled and vary by county. Although you can be sure that this weekend is a safe bet for checkpoints all around the entire state. While the news media might notify viewers about when and where these checkpoints are happening, there might still be cars randomly pulled over.
And if you think DUIs are the only thing you need to worry about this weekend, think again. Ever heard of a BUI? Florida law enforcement will be taking their DUI checkpoints to the water this weekend. A “boating under the influence” (BUI) checkpoint will be taking place at beaches and lakes, involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Over the years there has been an increase in boating accidents and fatalities, so now marine units from every coastal town, along with the Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, will be on the hunt.
There are ways to solve the problem of being caught at a DUI checkpoint. Many defense attorneys have cited that the 4th Amendment’s protection against searches and seizures that occur without probable cause, support their argument that DUI checkpoints are unconstitutional.
