State police in Delaware will conduct checks of all vehicles from other states, the latest measure taken in the United States amid a crackdown on movement.
Delaware State Police cited Gov. John Carney’s state of emergency order requiring the self-quarantine while announcing they can stop any vehicle simply because it has tags from a different state.
“Troopers will be conducting directed patrols on non-interstate roadways which have been identified as having a large volume of out-of-state travelers, in an effort to enforce the governor’s declaration.”
State police won’t be stopping travelers on I-95, I-295, or I-495, three major highways in the state.
Limited exceptions to Carney’s order focusing on out-of-state travelers include people passing through Delaware to other states and people coming to Delaware from other states to work.
People who come into Delaware from another state and fail to self-quarantine for the required time period could face criminal charges. The state Attorney General’s office has said violating the order could land people in jail for up to six months in addition to a fine of up to $500.
“Delawareans need to stay at home, and anyone from another state visiting Delaware should immediately self-quarantine for two weeks. Everyone needs to take this threat seriously,” Carney said in a statement announcing the order on Sunday.
Maryland, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Maine, and Texas are among the other states mandating that people from out of state enter quarantine for two weeks.
Domestic travel has sharply decreased in recent weeks as more governors order residents to stay at home except for essential trips amid the pandemic.
Law enforcement in a number of states have been arresting or issuing citations to people violating mandates. The length of prison sentences and maximum fines differ from state to state.
Maryland’s order, one of the strictest, says people in violation can land up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
