Nevada, like most other states, commits a considerable amount of resources to preventing drunk driving. One of the methods used by law enforcement agencies in the state is the implementation of sobriety checkpoints in certain areas where drunk drivers are suspected.

Many times, the locations of these DUI checkpoints are released to the public ahead of time in hopes of deterring people who may drink and drive in those areas. But other times, police purposely do not let the community know where these checkpoints will be set up.

Recently, some individuals and companies have sought to discover the locations of these undisclosed checkpoints and reveal them to the public. There have even been several applications for Apple’s iPhones that have allowed users to identify where these sobriety checkpoints have been erected on any given night.

However, these types of apps will no longer be allowed to be posted to the Apple online store in the future. That announcement was made this week by the computer giant at the request of several U.S. senators, including Nevada Senator Harry Reid. The lawmakers felt that disclosing the locations of the covert sobriety checkpoints helped enable drivers to drink and drive without fear of prosecution. (Of course, people who drink and drive in Nevada always run the risk of being pulled over by regular patrol officers – whether sobriety checkpoints are up or not.)

It should be noted that Apple’s declaration only pertained to future checkpoint-revealing apps and did not address those types of apps that are already available for purchase through the online store. Reid and the other senators are urging Apple to remove those existing apps as well.

If you have been injured because of the recklessness of a drunk driver, you should contact a qualified DUI accident attorney as soon as possible.