The Best Drunk Driving Defense Attorneys Website Scottsdale Az

Posted By turbo266 on April 6, 2011

Oklahoma Dui Law Is So Complete, Drunk Drivers Can Be Caught ?Sooner? Or Later

Oklahoma has some unusual and all-encompassing dui laws. For example, a particular dui penalty depends not only upon the evidence of the case, but also upon the jurisdiction where you were arrested. Whereas a DUI in a small town may bring a small fine, the same infringement in a large city could bring a significant fine and time in jail. And, as we will see below, the penalties for an Oklahoma DUI depend on more factors than just your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or how safely you drive.

There are three different categories of drunk driving in Oklahoma: Driving Under the Influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI), Driving While Impaired (DWI), and/or Actual Physical Control (APC). What’s the difference between dui and dwi and apc? If your  BAC is greater than .05 but lower than .08, you will likely be charged with DWI. An Oklahoma DWI usually garners a lesser punishment than does a DUI or APC. If your BAC is .08 or more, and/or your driving ability has been legally impaired by the use of alcohol and/or drugs, you will likely be charged with an Oklahoma DUI. The main difference between APC and DUI is that a DUI requires operation of the vehicle, whereas APC only requires that the vehicle could be driven. Have you heard dui stories of people arrested for drunk driving even when they’ve been sleeping it off in their cars? In Oklahoma, this is called an APC. If you are in a vehicle, and have the ability and potential to drive, you can be arrested if you are found to be impaired.

What’s the difference between dui and dwi criminal penalties for a first offense?  An Oklahoma DWI will bring a loss of your driver’s license for 30 days, a fine of from 0 to 0, and up to six months in jail. An Oklahoma DUI brings a loss of license from 30 up to 180 days, fines from 0 to ,250, 10 days to one year in jail, attendance at a victim’s impact panel, and possible alcohol and/or drug assessment, which could lead to  enrollment in a substance abuse program. If you’ve been charged with an APC, the consequences to your driver’s license and the dui penalties are basically the same as they are for a DUI.

Oklahoma has zero tolerance for underage drinking. You will be charged with DUI if you have a BAC of .02 and are under the age of 21. Underage drinking penalties include a loss of license for 6 months, a fine from 0 to 0, community service, possible enrollment in a substance abuse program, or any combination of these.

Drivers who have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) must be very careful, because they can be convicted of an Oklahoma DUI with a BAC of .04 while operating any vehicle. That’s right – even if you’re off duty and driving your own person car, if you have a CDL and a BAC of .04, you can be convicted of DUI. Since this situation can adversely affect your future livelihood, you may want to enlist the help of the best drunk driving lawyer you can find.

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Posted By turbo266 on April 4, 2011

The Reality of Drinking and Driving

According to statistics, over 90% of all UK drivers consider that driving under the influence of alcohol is extremely dangerous, and recognize the dangers of driving when drunk. The problem with this statistic is that it means that over two million UK drivers must think that drunk driving is not dangerous. This could not be further from the truth, each year on British roads 3000 to 3500 people are killed in drink related accidents.

Newspaper headlines commonly claim that the numbers are falling, although it is true that over the last few years the numbers have fallen, that is only compared to record highs. When you look at the first time the figure was recorded back in 1979 only 1600 people were killed, half of today’s figures. Therefore, it seems hard to argue that these are ‘good’ figures and numbers of deaths are going down.

The UK legal limit for driving with alcohol in your system is 80mg of alcohol to 100ml of blood. It does not necessarily follow that if you body has less than this limit you are safe to drive. In the US, many states have successfully prosecuted drivers who were below the legal limit but still deemed to be unfit to drive.

Even in the late 70′s if the police stopped a driver who was drunk, they often did not have breathalyzers available. And would also take an attitude of the driver was ‘not too drunk’ and let them walk the rest of the way home. That attitude has disappeared completely; police now always seek convictions for drivers who are even a tiny fraction over the limit.

If you choose to drink and drive the law now has stiff penalties, combined with a strong will to make an example of, not just some, but all offenders. Driving above the limit carries a 12 month ban, a £5,000 fine, and a sentence of up to six months in jail, and that is for the first offence. Anyone who thinks it’s a good idea to refuse a breath test faces the same penalties.

An endorsement on your license for a drink-driving is not removed for eleven years, that means for eleven years if the police pull you over they will almost certainly breathalyze you, on the basis that you have a history of ignoring the dangers of driving when drunk.

Insurance companies would rather take on a seventeen year old with a sports car than someone with a drink driving conviction as they consider the risk to be lower. This means premiums could be several times what you paid before the conviction. After a second offence, insurance is nearly impossible to obtain at any price.

Drunk drivers who killed someone else, used to often come under the careless driving laws, which carried a maximum penalty of a £2,500 fine. The new offence of causing death by careless driving, while under the influence of drink or drugs, is slightly stricter with a maximum disqualification of two years, and a fourteen year prison sentence.

Drinking and driving is now completely socially unacceptable, with not only the courts frowning on such behavior. Friends and neighbours can ostracize offenders, employers have no interest in taking on convicted drink drivers, and even if they do, their insurers will often block the employment. The days of casual drink driving are well and truly over with the vast majority of people recognizing the dangers of driving when drunk on British roads.

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Posted By turbo266 on April 2, 2011

The Facts About Drinking And Driving

Drinking and driving is not only dangerous for the other guy but also the driver and the passengers of the car itself. You should refrain from drinking and driving as there is a significantly increased risk of car accidents, damage to property and injury to people. Prevention is always better than cure. Hence, drinking and driving should not go together … in fact it is stupid. Heavy penalties can be impounded on the accused, like suspension of driver’s license, fines, a term in jail and confiscation of vehicle registration plates.

Every year there are thousands of people getting hurt or dying due to the drinking and driving. About 20% of the traffic fatalities all over the world take place due to drunk driving. We, like responsible citizens, should understand the ill effects of drunk driving and refrain from doing it. DUI or Drinking under the Influence of Intoxicants may cause problems in the present and in the future. The police should carry random checks on drunk drivers, especially at night to catch the offenders and reduce the menace. A breath analyzer test is the most common test used to catch the offenders.

Also, studies show that half of the offenders caught were not under the influence of alcohol but other banned substances like drugs. Parents should warn their children against drunk driving and show their own daily lives to their children by example. They should make their children understand the importance of being a responsible citizen. And, they should do nothing to bring any harm or any injury to people including something as irresponsible as drunk driving.

There are certain measures that can be implemented to curb drunk driving. Regular checks for drunk drivers on the road can be carried out by the law. Offenders should be severely punished in the form of levying heavy fines and penalties. Licenses of regular offenders should be suspended or terminated. Rehabilitation programs should be conducted for those people who can’t kiss the habit goodbye. Every state should provide adequate information on the bad effects of DUI at the time of the driver’s exams.

Many cars will have technological devices available like alarm systems in case the driver inside falls asleep. They will soon be fitted with anti collision devices so that the car brakes automatically if it is about to crash with another object in the front or the back.

Remember by being a responsible citizen you set an example to other people as well. Do not unnecessarily force others to drink at your parties. See to it that the party gets over well within time so that people can leave early. And also provide alternate means of transportation for those that do drink.

If you are arrested for DUI, then hiring a DUI lawyer proves to be the best decision. Driving under the influence can have serious consequences on you if you are involved in a car accident. You may face consequences like jail or prison, penalties or fines, vehicle impoundment, etc. The DUI lawyer is familiar with the intricacies and procedures involved with DUI charges and are your best bet if you find yourself in such a predicament.

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Posted By turbo266 on March 29, 2011

Drinking alcohol and driving

Although some don’t agree, alcohol should be looked at as a drug, a very popular drug though.  People have always loved the effects of alcohol.  Many people have refrigerators filled with beer, many others are wine connoisseurs. But no matter what your preference may be, alcohol can still be very dangerous when combined with the operation of an automobile.  If you can remember only a few things from this report remember this: driving drunk is unsafe to you, and everyone else around you.  The driver’s of other cars, pedestrians, etc…  Driving drunk can also be very, very costly: insurance overcharges, insurance rates, tickets, fines.

You should understand what alcohol can do to you.  Alcohol is in fact a downer, and actually often heightens your temper.  If you’re angry, after a couple drinks you may be quite possibly angrier.  Whenever you are sad, you probably will feel sadder after some beverages.  It is also not good to drink and drive when you are in a good mood. Your driving is also determined by your mood.  It can make you drive faster, pay attention to a lesser extent, etc…  Analyses have shown that the combination of anger, and drinking is responsible for much of reckless driving.  Not only can alcohol enhance your mood, but it has been proven that it can quickly modify your mood.  While alcohol is consumed, it is not digested momentarily.  It infiltrates your stomach and small intestine straight into the bloodstream and is conducted to all parts of your body. It arrives at your brain in microscopic amounts.  When alcohol is absorbed in larger amounts, it numbs the region of your brain that command inhibition, assessment, and self-discipline.  Hopefully you can consider how this could be damaging to your health when driving.  Drinking.

But how does alcohol effect driving?  To build up upon this, drinking increases your self-confidence, and inhibitions but brings down your driving execution (reaction times, stopping distance).  You may sense like you can do anything behind the wheel of a car after a six-pack.  Only you can’t.  Numerous accidents come about because of boozing.  Most of these accidents affect only 1 car, but extra people are killed by drunk drivers.  There is a method to protect yourself from boozed drivers.  First, all of the time wear your seat belt.  Second, keep your distance from anyone that may seem to be under the influence.  Anybody who is swerving, or going too slow are good examples.  But it is unachievable to prevent all of these accidents. For this reason people have to be educated about drinking and driving so that the nember of accidents could be at least lowered to the reasonable number.

So how much alcohol is safe?  No amount of alcohol in your body is as safe as having none.  But certain amounts of alcohol are less hazardous than others.  There is no dictated limit of how much is too much, because there are too many factors in drinking.  Body weight, quantity of drinks, and how fast you drink are all factors in how alcohol affects you.  Even the amount of food in your stomach can be an element in how fast the alcohol gets into your blood flow. You cannot always tell by looking at someone if they’ve had too much.  Some people can hold their alcohol real, others cannot. The only real way to measure the amount of alcohol in your body is with a breathalyzer. A breathalyzer measures your BAC; blood alcohol concentration.  Your BAC is how much of your blood is alcohol.

How do is sober up?  Eating, taking aspirin, drinking black coffee, deep breathing and cold showers are not effective at all in sobering up.  The only way to sober up is time. This is crucial to remember, do not let anyone tell you differently.  If you do drink, you can be smart about the actions you make.  If you have any reconsiderations about driving, don’t.  Have a friend drive you home, call a friend, or call a cab.  Don’t worry about your car, it is not as significant as human life, and will probably be in better condition if you don’t drive it drunk.  Also, don’t let friends drive drunk either, if they are stubborn, take the keys from them.  It is a good idea to make arrangements with your friends about not letting each other get in a car intoxicated.  If you have a party, and someone who gets intoxicated at your party is involved in an accident, it may involve a lawsuit.

Everything about drinking and driving is bad. If you are driving drunk, there is a really good chance of you getting pulled over.  Indications of drunk driving are speeding, a drinking driver sometimes thinks he/she can drive safely at high speeds (superman).  Wandering, even if a drunk driver stays in the right lane, sometimes they have trouble steering straight.  Slow driving, when a driver knows that they are intoxicated, they may drive slower than the flow of traffic so that they do not get in an accident, this can be unsafe in itself.  Sometimes drunk drivers have jerking motions because of short intellectual lapses and may not keep a steady speed.

Another indication of an intoxicated driver is quick stopping, which causes many accidents.  Police officers have seen drunk drivers many times, and know how they drive.  Don’t be a fool a try to beat the system, because it is you that is going to get screwed.  It is sad but true that there are people who drive drunk all the time and get away with it, and never get caught.  But the odds are not with you.  If you do get pulled over and the police officer thinks that you are intoxicated, they will ask you to perform a field sobriety test.  The sobriety test consists of you walking the line straight, following the police officers finger with your eyes, and touching your nose with both index fingers while having your eyes closed.

Depending on how you do with this test, the police officer will normally conclude whether or not to perform a breathalyzer test.  The cop may skip the sobriety test, and go directly to the breathalyzer if he/she feels like it.  It depends on the assessment of the police officer what happens to you.  But in New Jersey and some other states in the U.S. there is the implied consent law, which says that if you refuse to take the breathalyzer test you will be considered under the influence, you will lose your license for six months if it is your first offense, and for two years for repeaters, and a charge from 0-500.  There is also a mandatory insurance surcharge of ,000 for three years, plus court imposed fines and penalties.  It can be quite costly being a drunk driver.  Failure to pay insurance surcharge will result in indefinite loss of driving privileges.

Driving while intoxicated does not make sense. It is very serious, costly, and stupid.  It’s painless to avoid it if you are educated. If half the people who have their licenses experienced the penalties for getting caught and possible health consequences that emerge in traffic accidents, many people would not do it ever again.  As with many other problems, education really is the key to stopping traffic accidents and human tragedies.

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Posted By turbo266 on March 27, 2011

Morning-after Teens done for Drink Driving

All states are pushing even harder for an increased awareness of the ‘Morning after the Night before’ drink driving problem. Police are warning all drivers to consider their BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) before getting behind the wheel of a car after a big night out this holiday period.

People are becoming more and more aware of the problem of drunk driving and either arranging a designated driver, calling a cab, taking public transport or “crashing” the night. But what if you need to get somewhere the next morning?

Sandra Robinson, Road Safety and Traffic officer for Leeton Shire, NSW said the number of people caught driving under the influence (DUI) between the hours of 6am and 12noon during holiday periods increases dramatically.

“Every year I get calls from shocked drivers wanting to know why they have been charged with DUI the morning after a big night out,” Ms Robinson said.

After more than 5 hours of sleep, a shower, cup of coffee and a good breakfast you may feel fine to drive but police are still catching motorists well over the .05 legal limit.

How does this affect our teenage drivers? In most states of Australia there is not only a .00 blood alcohol tolerance for probationary licence holders but stricter penalties apply for drivers over this limit. Teenage drivers have to wait for all the alcohol to pass through their system before getting behind the wheel.

Addiction Psychologist Dr Mark Daglisk says, “Approximately, the body will get rid of 1 standard drink per hour.”

“Often when people go to sleep, they’ve still got alcohol in their stomach, so their blood alcohol is still rising.”

Chief Health Officer and Road Safety Council Member in Western Australia, Andy Robertson says, “Your blood alcohol level can keep rising for up to two hours after your last drink.”

The likelihood then of teenage drivers still being over the legal .00 limit when they wake up the morning after a big night out is considerable!

How is it possible then to keep our teenage drivers safe on the roads and prevent them establishing a criminal record with DUI charges?

S.P. Hardy, a Melbourne Barrister with 18 years experience defending road traffic offences lists 9 points to avoid drink driving convictions without legal assistance. At the top of the list is, “If you drink, don’t drive” (common sense to most people) however, it’s closely followed by, “Buy a personal breathalyser”.

Though Richard Blackburn, in a December 2009 article in The Age entitled “Breathalysers put to the test” discredits the pinpoint accuracy of commercially available personal breathalysers and states, “Perhaps buying one only encourages you to push the boundaries.” RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria) retail stores have seen an increase in sales of personal breathalysers to parents of teenage drivers.

Anne-Maree Keys of the Rosebud store says, “Parents are getting them for their teenage kids to make sure they’re not registering before they go off to work the morning after a big night.”

The RTA (Road Traffic Authority) NSW Drink Driving Brochure says, “Don’t try to estimate your BAC. Measure it. The RTA recommends using an Australian Standards approved (AS – 3547) breath testing device. But remember… If you go out drinking and have a big night you may still be over the limit the next day so take another test in the morning.”

If you are planning to drink, then plan NOT to drive. Plan ahead; take a taxi, take public transport, organise a designated driver who won’t be drinking, arrange a friend or family member to give you a lift. Remember it takes time for alcohol to completely break down in your system. If you’re still concerned the morning after a big night look to invest in a personal breathalyser and make sure you test yourself before getting behind the wheel of a car!

 

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Posted By turbo266 on March 25, 2011

Cracking Down on Drunk Drivers

Using Sting Operations to Reduce Drunk Driving

In our haste to crack down even harder on drunken drivers, we sometimes go overboard and venture into the ridiculous. A case in point concerns the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). Employing “sting operations” at bars throughout the state, TABC officers have been arresting drinkers who have had too many drinks. The rationale for these special tactics is that these sting operations will cut down on drunk driving. This is a fine rationale, but there’s one big problem with these special operations: the TABC officers are arresting drinkers while they’re still in the bars!

Affecting the Bottom-Line: Revenue Generation

Interestingly, some of the main criticisms of the tactics employed by TABC have been coming from tourism officials who believe that these sting operations might hurt the tourism industry by tarnishing Texas’ “hard-drinking image.” In other words, if a number of people who usually visit Texas to do some “hard-drinking” believe that they might get arrested in one of the TABC sting operations, many would-be tourists may decide against visiting Texas. Obviously, this could give Texas a “bad reputation” that would adversely affect the revenue that has been historically generated by the tourists.

Intrusive and Illogical Countermeasures

I agree that arresting drinkers while they are still in the bars is “over the edge” but not because of the complaints from the tourism officials or because these sting operations are giving Texas a “bad reputation.” Simply put, arrests made by TABC officers while drinkers are still in the bars are too intrusive and in some instances, unfair. This being said, however, I don’t think that Texas’ “hard-drinking image” and tourism issues should affect the intent to significantly reduce the number of Texans who die or who are injured in alcohol-related accidents each year. Image and tourism are legitimate issues, but they should not influence laws that are passed to reduce alcohol-related injuries and fatalities on the Texas highways.

A Real-Life Example

I am in favor of creative ways to significantly reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents and fatalities experienced on our nation’s highways, but sting operations consisting of arresting drinkers while they’re still in the bars are too excessive. To better understand my point, let’s create a very possible scenario. My buddy and I go to a Texas bar and my buddy decides to get drunk as a skunk. This decision, from a drunk driving perspective, is OK with me due to the fact that I agreed to be the “designated driver” who will drive my friend home after our night is over. Under these circumstances, I don’t think that the TABC officers have any right to arrest my buddy for excessive drinking.

An Issue of Mixed Messages

Regrettably, the TABC sting operations illustrate the mixed messages that exist in our society about drinking alcohol. Simply put, how can something as accessible, available, and acceptable in our society be so harmful AND illegal when consumed at or slightly above moderate intake levels?

Stated differently, alcohol is so prevalent in our culture that it has become intimately ingrained in the fabric of our society. Due, however, to the thousands and thousands of people in our country who experience serious alcohol-related health problems or who die or get injured in alcohol-related traffic accidents every year, many members of the medical community, the law enforcement community, and organizations such as MADD and Alcoholics Anonymous actively and strongly denounce “excessive” drinking and in some instances advocate total abstinence.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, until we can significantly reduce or eliminate the mixed messages that exist in our society about drinking alcohol, I believe that we will continue to experience and hear about alcohol-related horror stories that have become staples of the news industry. In the meantime, however, an increasing number of laws will be passed that are explicitly directed towards reducing drunken driving. Some these laws, however, will be so extreme and intrusive that they shouldn’t exist in a civilized society. TABC, are you listening?

Copyright 2007 – Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author credit.

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Posted By turbo266 on March 23, 2011

What Teens and Parents Need to Know About, Drinking, Drugging, Driving and the Law – Part 3

In Part 1 of this series, I discussed the dangers of drugs and alcohol in America and many of the misconceptions about drinking.   In Part 2, I reviewed issues for newly licensed drivers, peer pressure and the messages we send to our teenagers about drugs and alcohol.   In Part 3,  we will look at the effects of marijuana and driving and the laws surrounding drinking, drugging and driving.

Driving under the Influence is the law which governs those people who drive a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol. There is no set amount of drinks per person that needs to be consumed because depending on the physical and mental characteristics of each individual it varies. However in all 50 states, a person with a blood alcohol concentration of, 08% by weight of alcohol in his blood as shown by chemical analysis of his blood, breath, urine, or saliva, made pursuant to the appropriate statute of law, is considered drunk driving.

Lesser percentages of alcohol in the blood could land you in jail with a charge of driving while impaired or Driving under the influence. Depending on the state in which you are charged, these offenses could either be Misdemeanors or Felonies.

As far as knowledge about marijuana impairments and driving, the situation is far worse. Recently, I was listening to a local radio talk show. The day’s topic was the legalization of marijuana. One caller (a former user) said he has a 17 year-old son and would much rather want to see him drive a motor vehicle after he smoked a couple of joints rather than after drinking a few beers. His reasoning was marijuana slows you down and you will not drive as fast as you would after drinking alcohol. Several surveys conducted in Illinois and Ohio indicated that there are twice as many teenaged drivers behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana as those behind the wheel having consumed alcohol. The effects on driving skills while under the influence of marijuana account for drivers missing traffic signals, stop signs, poor handling of the vehicle in traffic, and unawareness of pedestrians and stationary vehicles. Studies have shown that there was still a significant decline in driving abilities up to six hours after smoking marijuana with some of those effects lasting as long as 24 hours. The reason this happens is that today’s marijuana has a THC content average 6.86% and as high as 24%, as compared to the THC content of the late sixties and early seventies which was in the area of 0.5% per joint. THC, “Tetrahydrocannabinol” is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Although there are 420 various chemicals in marijuana when smoked, it is the THC, which makes the user high.

 

Smoking marijuana and driving under its influence can interfere with a person’s peripheral vision making the driver not pick up the fact that another vehicle is trying to pass, and might suddenly turn into the passing car.
The drug could impair the user’s central vision detection not making the driver start the vehicle when a green light come on, or the user might not see the red light.
Smoking marijuana impairs the driver’s reaction time. The driver loses his ability to brake quickly in an emergency.
The drug marijuana impairs the driver’s night time driving ability.
Marijuana also impairs short-term memory making the driver forget where to get off the highway or remembering his way home.
The impairment of manipulative and coordination skills whereby the driver under the influence of marijuana has difficulty in backing, turning around, passing another vehicle, or getting on and off highways.

 A wide variety of studies, in the United States and abroad, have clearly shown that marijuana – even one joint – impairs all-important components of driving performance. In some respects driving impairments after smoking marijuana could be worse than the impairment caused by alcohol. Unfortunately, teenage parties often include the use of both alcohol and marijuana and for those users who combine both drugs (and this isn’t uncommon), they double their chances of having a drug related driving crash. In addition to making driving dangerous, marijuana has been suspected of having an impact on several of the body’s major organs and functional systems, resulting in chronic adverse effects. Research has shown that the heart, lungs, immune system, brain, reproductive system, and cell chromosomes are affected with marijuana use.

The laws surrounding the possession and use of marijuana differ from state to state. It has been my experience that depending on the amount of the drug found in the possession of the user determines the weight of the crime. Although a misdemeanor charge is less than a felony, a young person needs to remember that both are crimes and an arrest for any crime can have an adverse effect on a young user’s future. Parents and custodians of any minor under age 18 living at home may be civilly liable for damages plus court costs for destruction of property or stolen property; parents may be held criminally responsible for minors consuming alcohol at home parties held at their residences. Parents may cause an establishment to lose its alcoholic beverage license if a minor is allowed to consume alcohol under the parents’ supervision. Any person who willfully and unlawfully sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a person who is not of lawful drinking age may become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such minor or person.

In the State of Florida, the maximum penalty for giving, selling, serving, or permitting the service of alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 21 is 60 days in jail and a 0.00 fine. If the person is under 18 the maximum penalty is 1 year on jail and ,000.00 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing alcoholic beverages if an individual is under 21 is also 60 days in jail or a 0.00 fine, as well as suspension of driving privileges for up to six months. The maximum penalty for misrepresenting your age for the purpose of buying or being served alcoholic beverages is suspension of driving privileges and up to one-year in jail and a ,000.00 fine. A storeowner can have an underage person arrested for attempting to purchase alcohol. Penalties can be up to 60 days in jail or a 0.00 fine. A person under the age of 21 caught drinking with a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of .02% can have their driving privileges suspend up to age 21.

Teenagers using chemicals is nothing new. It’s been going on for the past 40 years that I know of.  I’m not going to tell you not to use alcohol or drugs because I know you aren’t going to listen to me. Using alcohol or drugs is your choice. However, listen to yourself. Look around at some of your friends, especially those who have been long-term drinkers or drug abusers. Give them a long hard look and you will see they have changed. They aren’t the people you knew before.

 As a former law enforcement officer, I have talked with many people both young and old, who became dependent on alcohol and/or drugs. What many of them told me was that when they realized they had a problem with alcohol or drugs, they didn’t get help. Young people today have a lot of people out there willing to help them. If you have a problem and find yourself using alcohol or drugs, talk with someone. If you can’t talk with your parents, that’s okay; there’s always a teacher, school counselor, a friend’s parent or someone in your church or synagogue. Remember, it doesn’t matter who gets you back on the road safely as long as you get there.  SAFE DRIVING!

Learn more about Teen Drivers and Prescription Drugs.

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Posted By turbo266 on March 21, 2011

The Importance of Avoiding Drinking and Driving

On any Friday or Saturday night across the nation, you can go out and see numerous examples of people that like to party and do not know their limitations.  Do you fall in to that category?  Overindulging in alcohol is not horrible in and of itself, although it isn’t very good for your health and generally results in a rough morning the next day.  However, where people get in to the most trouble is when they combine drinking and driving.  Every year an astronomical number of people are killed in alcohol related car accidents – it is simply not a good thing to do.

The problem is that a number of people have a hard time making that judgement while they’re “in the moment.”  It is often difficult to tell exactly how drunk you are and people are arrested every night who thought they were “fine” to drive home.  Alcohol impairs your judgement, which makes driving dangerous for you and other motorists.  However, a contributing factor to the high number of DUI arrests and drunk driving accidents is that people’s impaired judgement negatively affects their ability to determine if they can/should be driving.  They might think they can, but if they’ve been drinking, there is not way to tell how accurate those thoughts are.  This is why it is best to never drive after drinking.  

Another thing that a lot of people do not realize is that you can still be arrested for driving while impaired even if you are under the “legal” drunk driving limit.  Again, this is why you should never drive after drinking – even 1 or 2 drinks.  Taking this risk may result in you having to talk to police officers, hire a DUI lawyer, and pay out of pocket fees even though you were not legally intoxicated.  A small cab fee or an extra 10 minutes added to your trip to take public transportation are always going to be better for you in the long run compared to a DUI conviction.

If you go out without planning to drink, or planning to drink very little, it is still important to have a plan for getting home should you decide to have a few drinks while out.  Bring some extra cash that you set aside for a cab fare or plan to spend the night at a friend’s house to avoid driving home.  The key is to make these plans before you are intoxicated – chances are you will not make the best decision when your judgement is clouded by alcohol.  If you really do not trust yourself to stick to the plan, leave your keys at home or take a cab or bus to your location so that it is literally impossible for you to drive home.  In other words, don’t give yourself the option.

Drinking and driving will eventually catch up to you and result in some serious consequences that go beyond fines.  One study found that over one third of all traffic-related fatalities were caused by drunk drivers meaning that you could kill yourself or somebody else.  DUI convictions are rough as well.  The fines are steep, your drivers license is usually suspended, you could end up in jail, and a conviction might impact your ability to get a job or keep your current job.  Avoiding these penalties after an arrest is difficult and requires you to hire a DUI lawyer, which will cost you more money in addition to court fees.  So is the risk really worth it?

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Posted By turbo266 on March 19, 2011

Why You Should Not Mix Drinking And Driving

Ever since the invention of the automobile people have been drinking and driving. There are many people that think they can drive if they have only had a couple drinks but this is far from the truth. There is never an excuse for drinking and driving, no matter how little you had to drink.

When you take the risk and drive will drinking there are many things that may go wrong. You could end up spending the night in jail and having to pay a large fine for a DUI if you are caught driving drunk. Not to mention all of the people you are putting in danger. A DUI is the best case scenario because you could end up taking someone’s life.

You run the risk of losing a lot when you drive drunk. If you drive after you have been drinking you take the risk of killing yourself or someone else. You will go to jail if you wreck and the result is someone’s death. You absolutely can and more than likely will be arrested and charged with the crime of man slaughter if you kill someone will driving drunk.

Most people would have a hard time living with the fact that their bad choice caused someone to die. Of course going out and having a few drinks is perfectly fine as long as you do not drive after you drink. If you are planning to have a drink make sure you plan on a safe way to get home like a friend or taxi.

There is never a reason to drink and drive when a cab can get you there safely for only a few bucks. The few dollars you pay the cab driver to take you home could save someone’s life and it may even be yours. Never think that you can drive because you have only had one or two drinks. Many people have said that they can drive as well or better when they have been drinking but this is never true.

There is no one who can drive better while being drunk. When you and your friends go out drinking, be the responsible adult and suggest everyone take a taxi cab home. When leaving after a night out drinking ask the smart question of “what is the number for the cab”? Never ask who is sober enough to drive us home.

When you have had a couple or drinks you may not make the most rational decisions. This is why planning ahead is so important. If you plan for a cab to drive you to the club or bar then you will more than likely be taking a cab home. Ask a friend to drop you off if you plan to drink this way your car will not even be there for you to drive. This country also has a problem with teenagers driving drunk.

Set a good example for your teens and talk to them about drinking and driving. Make sure they know that drinking is harmful and that driving drunk could ruin their lives or get them killed. Too many teens have lost their lives due to drunk driving.

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Posted By turbo266 on March 17, 2011

Stiffer Penalties for Driving Under the Influence in South Carolina

South Carolina ranks near the top for states with the worst drunk driving statistics. With nearly 37% of all auto accident fatalities involving alcohol or drunks, the new DUI law is an effort by South Carolina lawmakers to make its’ roads safer.

New laws impose bigger fines and more jail time for DUI convictions.Depending on your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) when you are arrested, there is a new set of fines and required jail time.

The following is the guideline:

For Blood Alcohol Content from 0.08-0.09:

First Time Offenders: 2-30 days in jail OR 48 hours of community service, 0 fine

Subsequent Offenders: 5 days to 1 year in jail, 00-00 fine

For Blood Alcohol Content from 0.10-0.15:

First Time Offenders: 3-30 days in jail OR 72 hours of community service, 0 fine

Subsequent Offenders: 30 days to 2 years in jail, 00-00 fine

For Blood Alcohol Content from 0.16 and above:

First Time Offenders: 30-60 days in jail OR 30 days of community service, 00 fine

Subsequent Offenders: 90 days to 3 years in jail, 00-00 fine

Additional changes to the South Carolina DUI, effective July of 2009 include:

1. Required alcohol and drug rehabilitation for ALL offenders;

2. Underage drinkers will have their license suspended for six months;

3. Additional six month license suspension if you refuse a breath-test.

As you can see, there are severe consequences if you refuse to have your breath tested. South Carolina has an implied consent law that requires that you give consent to a blood, breath, or urine test if you are suspected of driving under the influence in South Carolina. No one is exempt from these laws—All drivers are dangerous drivers when they are intoxicated. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) hopes that these laws will deter motorists from even thinking about mixing drinking and driving.

The SCDPS also launched a media campaign in order to gain support and awareness of the new laws. To spread awareness of the new DUI law, TV commercials, billboards and additional public safety and Sheriff’s Department check points are abound across the state of South Carolina.

Therefore, if you choose to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you should be aware that if you are caught, you may be subject to high fines and long jail time if you are driving with a BAC of .08 or higher, are under 21 and driving with a BAC of .02 or higher, or are a Commercial Vehicle Driver with a BAC of .04 or higher.

In conclusion, even if you have just had a few drinks, it is not worth it to get behind the wheel in South Carolina. A drunk driving accident can have a devastating affect on your life, as well as the lives of others in the path of a drunk driver on the road. Do yourself and others a favor. Please do not drink and drive yourself, and please do your part to educate others about the consequences of driving under the influence in South Carolina.

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