Sobriety Checkpoints Upheld
Were sobriety checkpoints ever unconstitutional in California? In California, the courts have found time after time driving is a “privilege,” not a “right.” Therefore, the right to privacy in regards to driving in California is relinquished or surrendered when obtaining a driver’s license.
Therefore, it is possible to set up checkpoints to verify driver’s license, automobile registration and insurance and also sobriety. This type of checkpoint should not be objectionable when removing the unlicensed, the unregistered automobile, the uninsured motorist and most important, the drunk driver from the road, thereby reducing the cost of automobile insurance for legal drivers.
IAN L. BROWN
Los Angeles
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