Traffic checkpoint for sobriety set

Area law enforcement officers will conduct a sobriety checkpoint this weekend in the Fort Scott area.

In a joint effort, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Fort Scott Police Department and the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office plan to conduct the check point starting on Saturday.

The Fort Scott-area checkpoint is intended to remove impaired drivers. However, the checkpoint's exact location wasn't disclosed.

"The purpose of these checkpoints is not to harass motorists but to decrease accidents through awareness and enforcement," KHP officials said in a written statement.

The checkpoints are aimed at reducing high accident rates by identifying impaired drivers. The goal is to encourage compliance with Kansas statutes regarding alcohol enforcement.

Each year, about 16,000 people are killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents, averaging one alcohol-related fatality every 33 minutes. The deaths constitute 38 percent of the total traffic fatalities.

A public opinion survey by Mothers Against Drunk Driving showed that 87 percent of Americans support the use of checkpoints to check for drivers who have been drinking to excess. Checkpoints are an effective tool to combat the impaired driving problem along with an effective way to check for safety belt use and child restraint use.

KHP officials said the highway patrol appreciates the patience and cooperation from all citizens involved with the checkpoint.