Boy, the Mass State Police are really trying to start the new year off right concerning getting the message out about the dangers of impaired driving. We're just a few weeks into 2023 and the MSP has already conducted numerous sobriety checkpoints across the Bay State!

Get ready for a few more sobriety checkpoints scheduled for this week. In case you missed it, earlier this week we mentioned that there was a sobriety checkpoint scheduled for this Friday, January 13th into Saturday, January 14th for Worcester County.

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Now, the Mass State Police would like to spread the word about two more sobriety checkpoints for this week. One of them is scheduled for Thursday, January 12th into Friday, January 13th. If you were thinking that the MSP only conducted these checkpoints on the weekends, think again. That sobriety checkpoint is for Essex County.

The other recent addition for this weekend is scheduled for Saturday, January 14th into Sunday, January 15th. And that sobriety checkpoint will take place in Bristol County. Between those three checkpoints, the Mass State Police has the whole weekend covered.

Now I know I say this all the time, but it bears repeating. Please don't be mad because you think we're "letting the secret out", so to speak. The Mass State Police wants the general public to be aware of these sobriety checkpoints.

To quote from the Mass State Police's media statement, the purpose of these sobriety checkpoints is:

To further educate the motoring public and strengthen the public’s awareness to the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways.

Basically, the MSP is giving advance notice of the checkpoints to hopefully reduce fear and anxiety due to inconveniences to motorists and also to perhaps give pause to a driver who has been drinking to think about giving up the car keys.

I've mentioned numerous times my experiences while driving drunk. My sorrow and sadness that I allowed it to happen, my thankfulness that I didn't kill myself or anybody else for God's sake.

So, I was lucky and managed to learn from my mistakes. Others aren't so lucky. When it comes to alcohol and/or drugs and driving, make the smart choice. And be careful out there.

For more info on the sobriety checkpoints, visit the Mass State Police's news blog website here.

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