Zion DUI Checkpoints

[Iceaxe]

Zion National Park to Conduct Road Safety and Sobriety Checks
June 29, 2009

For Immediate Release
Bonnie Schwartz 435 772-0172
Ron Terry 435 772-0160
09-21

Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth has announced that Zion Law Enforcement Rangers will begin operating road safety/sobriety checkpoints within the park. The checkpoints will begin this summer and will last well into the fall season

Park Rangers will use the checkpoints to detect and remove impaired drivers from the roadways and improve safety for park visitors. All vehicles will be stopped at the checkpoints, but Rangers will make every effort to ensure stops will be brief and that any inconvenience will be minimized. If alcohol or drug use is detected, rangers can arrest the driver on a charge of operating under the influence.

Park visitors are reminded it is illegal to possess an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and no person under the age of 21 may possess alcohol.

[Iceaxe]

Just a thought..... why not just walk down the line of vehicles stopped waiting to go through the tunnel?

While not exactly stopping/searching/inspecting every vehicle it does scoop up an large number and would not add anther time waster to my enjoyment of Zion NP.

Not really the way I'd like to see of government stimulus money being spent.... This morning I drove from Draper to Bountiful to Magna and back to Draper. A loop of about 80 miles.... I went through SIX radar traps... and that is not an exaggeration. I asked a friend in the know what was up and he told me the increased surveillance was part of the stimulus money....

Maybe they should set it up so you can get a backcountry permit while stopped for a DUI inspection

[Deathcricket]

Uhhhh... Don't they stop everyone now? Oh maybe they are talking about the tunnel area then? But each car gets stopped coming into the park on both sides, then there isn't many places you can drive. The buses take you everywhere else.

Seems weird to me. Did some drunk guy not make a switchback or something? If they are talking about enhancing the existing checkpoints and training the officers to recognize drunks, then I'm all for it. But if they are going to be putting in additional spots to specifically check, then I'm totally against it.

[Scott Card]

Sounds like new check points. You can count on one by the exit parking lot of the Subway or in that area. That way they get all those who really aren't going to the Park but up to Kolob Res. or their cabin too. Just one more stinkin' delay. My question is, was there a problem???? Being a non-drinker this is just another park imposed waste of time UNLESS there is a significant problem that needs to be addressed. If they have money to burn, I'd prefer a skin patrol to assist those wearing speedo's to recognize that they ain't got it and to please for the added safety and enjoyment of those having to endure the awefulness, put on a real swim suit. Speedos and flip flops... :eek2: .

[nelsonccc]

Sounds like new check points. You can count on one by the exit parking lot of the Subway or in that area. That way they get all those who really aren't going to the Park but up to Kolob Res. or their cabin too. Just one more stinkin' delay. My question is, was there a problem???? Being a non-drinker this is just another park imposed waste of time UNLESS there is a significant problem that needs to be addressed. If they have money to burn, I'd prefer a skin patrol to assist those wearing speedo's to recognize that they ain't got it and to please for the added safety and enjoyment of those having to endure the awefulness, put on a real swim suit. Speedos and flip flops... :eek2: .

It would be my guess that it would be on the Kolob terrace road. We saw a ranger conducting a sobriety test on our day down from Boundary a few weeks ago. Looked like the ranger had been hiding in the sandy area just inside the park in the area where there is the long meadow/field that isnt in the park. We saw two more rangers on our way down, one ahd someone pulled over for what looke dliek speeding and the other was in a hurry going up from the lower subway pull out.

Made me nervous since we may or may not have had some open containers.....

[trackrunner]

yep it was the Kolob Terrece road

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12851432

Checkpoints in Zion to stop impaired drivers
The Salt Lake Tribune


Cedar City

[Scott Card]

You can count on beer cans on the side of the road to avoid the open container tickets.

Hmmmm no arrests. Sounds like dui's may not be that big of an issue??? I also wish they would tell if the open container citations were the driver drinking or passengars?

Lest anyone misunderstand me, I am opposed to drinking and driving. Never a good idea, ever. I am also opposed to yet another ranger initiated back country "experience" if there is not a real problem.

[Iceaxe]

The entire state of Utah will see a major DUI blitz this weekend. And additional 150 officers have been schedule to overtime hours. This is how part of you Federal stimulus money is being spent. I would have preferred to see new trail construction. Maybe a new BLM campsite to replace Mosquito Cove or at least a pit toilet....

Outside of the campgrounds I've never seen much drinking in Utah NP's. I've certainly never noticed a DUI problem in the NP's.

:friday:

[ratagonia]

You can count on beer cans on the side of the road to avoid the open container tickets.

Hmmmm no arrests. Sounds like dui's may not be that big of an issue??? I also wish they would tell if the open container citations were the driver drinking or passengars?

Lest anyone misunderstand me, I am opposed to drinking and driving. Never a good idea, ever. I am also opposed to yet another ranger initiated back country "experience" if there is not a real problem.

hopefully, people are not driving vehicles "in the backcountry", in which case a different ticket might be appropriate... T :moses:

[Scott Card]

You can count on beer cans on the side of the road to avoid the open container tickets.

Hmmmm no arrests. Sounds like dui's may not be that big of an issue??? I also wish they would tell if the open container citations were the driver drinking or passengars?

Lest anyone misunderstand me, I am opposed to drinking and driving. Never a good idea, ever. I am also opposed to yet another ranger initiated back country "experience" if there is not a real problem.

hopefully, people are not driving vehicles "in the backcountry", in which case a different ticket might be appropriate... T :moses: :haha: Lets just say that I am calling anything outside the place where the shuttle runs, the narrows, and the permit lines the "back country"