OHP Conducting DUI Checkpoints Across The State For New Year's Weekend

OHP (Oklahoma Highway Patrol) troopers are conducting checkpoints across Oklahoma, including in Muskogee, as they look for impaired drivers this New Year’s weekend.

State troopers said they use statistics to determine trouble areas and help pick locations perfect for checkpoints.

Troopers pull about six cars off to the side at a time, check your license, and look for signs you might be drunk or high.

Other cars passing during that time can keep going.

If they think you’re driving under the influence, they’ll give you a sobriety test.

Troopers said you don't want your new year to start off on the wrong foot. They said driving under the influence can be costly; not only financially.

“It costs people their lives,” said Lt. Chris Arnall. “The only good news I can even give tonight is we had zero fatalities last New Year's. That’s usually unheard of and I think it was a result of law enforcement actually being out and working and we use these checkpoints as a deterrence.”

Lt. Chris Arnall said there were 34 crashes last New Year's over a three-day period that involved impaired driving.

At the checkpoints, troopers look for signs like bloodshot eyes, empty containers, slurred speech, and the smell of alcohol, before conducting the three-step standardized field sobriety test; (1) Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, (2) Walk-And-Turn Test, (3) One-Leg Stand Test.

“It’s not a pass or fail type deal, but it’s clues that we’re looking for,” said Lt. Chris Arnall.

After a three-step test, you might be asked to take a breathalyzer test.

“You have a right to refuse but when you refuse, you’re automatically gonna have your driver's license revoked. [W]e don’t have to have those breath results in order to arrest somebody that’s impaired,” said Lt. Chris Arnall. “They’re taking a chance when they refuse that test of what their point level is. […] If they think, 'Oh, this machine is voodoo,' or whatever, 'I don’t believe the results that’s coming out,' they have a right to ask for a blood test and we have to take them to a hospital and do it. Now the cost is on them.”

A blood test is the only current option they have when drugs impairment is detected.