After receiving a lot of pressure from lawmakers and concerned citizens all around, Apple officially banned a mobile app that lists nearby DUI checkpoints.
Many who opposed the checkpoint app believed it would allow people to get away with drinking and driving. With drivers knowing where sobriety checkpoints are going to be held, they can easily avoid getting in trouble for getting intoxicated behind the wheel. It could potentially increase the amount of drunk drivers, leading to more serious and tragic consequences.
People who supported the application believe drivers have a right to know where checkpoints are going to be held. After all, many area newspapers and blogs list when police will be setting up a checkpoint. Some states (notably Ohio, California, and Florida) even list the exact intersection of a certain DUI checkpoint.
When it is all said and done, checkpoints will always be announced, whether it is through blogs, crime reports, newspapers, or word of mouth. However, checkpoint listings won’t be as easily accessible as pressing a button on a smartphone. Therefore, for better or worse, the general knowledge of checkpoint locations will remain status quo.
