Checkpoint set for this week

Indiana State Police Seymour Post will conduct a sobriety checkpoint targeting impaired drivers in Bartholomew County sometime this week.

Motorists encountering the checkpoint will be delayed one to two minutes while officers check the driver for impairment,” Sgt. Donald Gregory said. “If there is no other reason to detain the driver the vehicle will be released.”

After the checkpoint, troopers will conduct roving saturation patrols throughout the district, aggressively seeking impaired drivers. The district covers Jackson, Jennings and Bartholomew counties.

Police recommend the use of designated drivers if consumption of alcohol is included in your plans, and hosts are urged to offer non-alcoholic drinks and make sure drunken guests leave with a sober driver or in a cab.

Motorists are encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers to police by calling 911. Be prepared to give a vehicle description and direction of travel.

On Indiana roads in 2008, 815 people died in a vehicle-related crash, and a driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or greater was involved in 136 of those deaths. The total number of crashes on Indiana roads in 2008 totaled 205,620. A driver with a BAC of 0.08 or greater was involved in 3,296 of those crashes.