Delaware State Police to Conduct Checks of All Vehicles From Other States

Delaware Gov. John Carney is seen in a file photograph. Mark Makela/Getty Images

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.

Anyone entering Delaware from another state is required to self-quarantine for 14 days in an attempt to slow the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

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.

“During the stop the officer may ask limited questions related to the driver’s recent travel. The driver then must be informed of the governor’s declarations and will be explicitly advised that if they are coming into Delaware from out of state, they are required by law, to self-quarantine for 14 days while in Delaware, or immediately return to their home state,” state police said in a statement.

“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.

An arriving traveler fills out a form for the National Guard at TF Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, on March 29, 2020. Scott Eisen/Getty Images

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.