The Hanover County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting Sobriety Checkpoints throughout the end of November and the month of December.

The checkpoints will be conducted on November 20, December 4, and December 19.

We encourage you to designate a sober driver to ensure we can all share in the festivities surrounding this holiday season. A few minutes of planning will increase your personal safety and will make certain others in our community are safer as well.

In 2014, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, there were 7,666 alcohol-related crashes, 251 fatalities and 5,003 injuries. The Sheriff’s Office continues to work hard in reducing these numbers and making this holiday season a safe and enjoyable experience for all those choosing to experience Hanover County.

Officers will stop all vehicles passing through each checkpoint and each driver will be advised of the purpose of the checkpoint and requested to present his or her driver’s license. Any driver suspected of operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs and alcohol will be directed to a safe area off of the roadway for further observation and possible testing for intoxication.

The maximum penalty in Virginia for the first conviction of driving under the influence is 12 months in jail, a $2500.00 fine and a 12-month suspension of driving privileges.