The Norman Police Department, in conjunction with the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office, will conduct impaired driving enforcement Friday with a “No Refusal” DUI checkpoint.

Alcohol-impaired drivers get behind the wheel millions of times each year yielding deadly consequences. From 2009 to 2018, 1,864 people were killed in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver on Oklahoma roads.

For this reason, the Norman Police Department will make a concentrated effort to identify impaired drivers with a high-visibility, responsible driving enforcement project this Friday. The goal is to discourage people who have been drinking from getting behind the wheel, while also addressing those who do make the poor decision to drive while impaired.

During the checkpoint, suspected impaired drivers who refuse sobriety tests could be subject to an officer seeking a search warrant for a blood sample. The law allows an officer to request a search warrant for an individual’s blood sample when they refuse the State’s Implied Consent Test. If a judge grants a search warrant, evidence obtained from a suspected impaired driver may be used in their criminal prosecution.

If you are going to consume alcohol, plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Even if you have only one alcoholic beverage, call a ride service, use public transportation, or phone a sober friend or family member to get home safely. If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact the Norman Police Department at 405-321-1444.

Remember, it is never safe to drink and drive. Norman police will show zero tolerance for impaired driving.  

This enforcement project is in partnership with the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and ENDUI Oklahoma.