Mississippi law states you have to adhere to a 0.08% limit BAC if convicted of DUI. The penalties are imposed by the court & Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and if you are found driving with a BAC of higher concentration, you are almost guaranteed to receive an alcohol-related citation The penalties for drinking & driving can be really steep if you’re under the legal limit (.08% or higher). For a list of possible penalties see DMV.org.
In any case, if you are a resident of Mississippi, you need to be familiar with what is a DUI roadblock and how to defend yourself if you get stopped in one.
Checkpoints can be called a bunch of different things, like sobriety checkpoints or drunk blocks. Permitted areas for these are limited, and Mississippi seems to be one of them. It’s a thing that is part of the state’s larger drunk driving deterrent strategy, which has officers stationed in different areas to check if drivers are intoxicated.
Local police will set up DUI checkpoints for a limited amount of time and in different spots. They tend to happen more often around major events like New Year’s Eve or the Super Bowl, but they can also be set up randomly at any time. This is what makes them difficult to prepare for in advance, but there still are a few things that you can do in the event that you find yourself stopped at a DUI checkpoint. You should always have your license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance on hand. Offer as little information to an officer as possible and always be courteous.
If you’ve been drinking responsibly, it’s not likely that anything you say could come back to haunt you. But there are some things to watch out for. For example, you should avoid admitting the frequency or volume of your consumption – even if it’s only a single glass of wine 3 hours ago).
“Implied Consent” in Mississippi.
Mississippi state law states that giving consent to chemical sobriety tests is implied when you apply for a driver’s license. This includes blood, alcohol and urine tests to determine if you are impaired.
That said, you still have the right to refuse a chemical test if an officer asks you for one. In fact, most DUI lawyers will tell you that refusing is your best option. However, doing so comes with some unpleasant consequences. In Mississippi, if you refuse to take an intoxilizer, your driver’s license will be restricted for 3 months. But there are no harsher punishments for refusing other types of sobriety testing.
