Sobriety Checkpoint This Week in Howard County

The Howard County Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the county this week, according to a statement the department released Monday.

Officers in both marked and unmarked vehicles will be checking for drunk drivers, as well as those violating seatbelt and child safety seat laws.

According to police, alcohol was a factor in six of 13 fatal collisions in the county in 2010, and more than 1,600 people were arrested last year for driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated in Howard County.

The checkpoints are part of the Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign, funded in part by a grant from the Maryland Highway Safety Office.

Police remind citizens to call 9-1-1 if they believe someone behind the wheel is drunk or otherwise impaired.