But what isn’t always known by most is that the effects of DUI charge will last for years, even a decade. The punishments actually serve as a barrier from getting past the offense and moving on with your life for many years to come. This is because the initial punishments cause a domino effect of problems that can propagate through several years of someone’s life. 

First, you’re forced to take a considerable amount of time off from work to perform your community service which usually involves picking up litter on the side of the highway. If you’re paid by the hour that’s a considerable loss of income! If you’re paid in salary there goes your whole vacation allotment for the entire year (if you haven’t used it up already). This is assuming that you even have a way to get to work since your license has been temporarily suspended. The irony of all of this is that with all of this commotion you’re likely to lose your job while you need money to pay all of the fines! 

Potentially, you have someone who has either lost their job or has lost a considerable amount of income by not being able to attend employment. They are forced to pay the court fines and fees along with all of their other monthly bills on an even smaller income then they had before the offense. So what is happening is all of your monthly expenses are rapidly increasing but your income has either ceased to exist or significantly decreased.

If they lost their job due to the DUI then they now face the challenge of trying to find a new job to secure some income but don’t have a driver’s license for transportation and then also have to disclose on the job application that they have been convicted of a DUI. This makes finding any new work near impossible.

What does this do to someone’s mental state? It makes them very emotional and very unstable. Couple these feelings of anxiety with the animosity that a large percentage of people feel when they get a DUI. The animosity comes from the fact that a lot of people are wrongly accused and convicted of this offense because so much discretion is left up to the police officer during a dui stop. Low BAC laws and political pressure funnel more and more innocent people into the DUI system everyday.

What is the likelihood of a repeat offense when the punishments do this to a person? The person’s stress level and mental state has completely deteriorated and depression is setting in. They’re worrying about bankruptcy and future employment plans but at the same time are unable to help themselves because the courts have handicapped them.

Were all for punishments for people that break the rules but the punishment has to fit the crime. It has to be rehabilitative in nature if we actually want to fix the problem. The current punishments instigate repeat offenses and worsen the problem instead of fixing it.

Get help now, talk to an experienced DUI lawyer to find out what they can do to help you in this trying time.

Read this scenario and ask yourself if this could be you?

Your good friend just moved into a new home a few blocks away from where you live. It’s going to be fun living so close to such a good friend. They invite you over for a welcoming dinner get together Friday night. You attend and there are a couple of other people there that you know. You arrive around 7:30 PM and are offered a social glass of wine. You accept to be polite and hold the wine without really drinking much, maybe 2 or 3 sips socially. 

Dinner is served around 8:15 PM and you sit down to a nice dinner with a group of old friends. At dinner you enjoy 1 full glass of wine and relax into some good conversation. After dinner everyone moves into the living room where you sit and discuss an upcoming event that you all are excited about. As you all talk the host brings you another glass of wine. You realize that you need to drive home so you don’t really drink the wine but just hold it to be social. You end up taking another 2 or 3 sips maximum. You say your good-bye’s around 9:15 PM and head home.

You only live a few blocks away but as you drive you see something strange in the distance. You see a series of bright lights ahead and a bunch of cones spread out along the road. As you continue to drive the cones get closer and closer together forming a funnel that limits access to the road forcing you to drive directly towards the bright flashing lights. Your eyes were already adjusted to the dark night and the upcoming bright lights are disorienting you a bit as you drive towards them. The combination of the cones re-directing the traffic pattern along with the bright lights makes you unsure of exactly where you’re supposed to drive on the road.

As you get closer to these bright lights you see a large group of people standing along side the road, some carrying signs. You start wondering what all of these people are doing standing on the side of the road and you try to read some of the signs as you approach. This distracts you from the bright lights for a second because it’s such an odd thing to see. As your attention returns to the bright lights your eyes are struggling between dilating for the darkness and adjusting to the brightness. Your heart rate has started to increase in response to all of the confusing stimuli. 

As you pull up to where the road is blocked an angry police officer begins yelling for you to roll your window down and shut off your car. Unsure why he is so upset you roll your window down and try to calm yourself. As your window comes down he sticks a bright high powered mag light into your car and shines it right on your face. He immediately begins interrogating you with questions like, “Where are you coming from?” “Where are you going?” “How much have you had to drink tonight!”

Still unsure as to why he’s so angry you to try to answer but your heart is now pounding so fast and you’re beginning to perspire excessively because of the intimidating scene in front of you. You hesitate, and then nervously answer his questions and honestly state that you had 1 glass of wine tonight.

The officer barks, “Why did you have to think about how much you had to drink, you’re not sure are you?” With your response you simply state that you just hadn’t thought about it before he asked.

He then asks you to step out of your car and perform a series of strange exercises in front of this large group of people who has now begun to yell at you. You are made to stand on one foot and count, then a pen is waved in front of your face followed by the police officer demanding that you blow into this little device he pulled from his squad car. You remember something about not having to do anything without speaking to a lawyer first and you ask the police officer about this. He fires back that you are afraid to blow because you know you are guilty and have drank excessively. He tells you that you’ll be in big trouble if you don’t blow into the machine. Unsure of what you are supposed to do or what your rights are, you do as the officer demands.

Your heart is literally pounding and you feel the sweat dripping from your forehead as you think about what is happening. Still unsure of what your rights are in this situation you decide that the best thing to do is answer all of the police officer’s questions and do as your told… (you would later find out that everything you said was used against you and you had no idea that you didn’t have to answer any questions).

After another series of questions he writes what seems like a paragraph on some type of report and then informs you that you are being arrested for suspicion of DUI. You are handcuffed and put in the back of the police car while the group of people standing off to the side cheer.

In his police report he notes that you smelled like alcohol, admitted to drinking alcohol but were unsure of the amount, were perspiring excessively, swerved while approaching the checkpoint, and appeared “disoriented” and “nervous.” He also notes that you failed all field sobriety tests.

Could this be you? This is not a situation to be taken lightly, talk to one of our DUI lawyers now and find out what we can do for you.

New Mexico

New Mexico’s Driving While Intoxicated Prevention Program has received national attention for its effectiveness. When offenders are referred to the program they must comply with the state mandated screening procedure. This process includes a breathalyzer test followed by answering 130 questions which are then entered into a database. This program is a condition of probation and must be paid for by the offender. After assessments individuals are assigned a treatment program and counseling schedule, which is free. Failure to meet the requirement of the parole or those prescribed by the treatment center can result in a probation violation. The program offers a variety of group counseling options, which are all gender specific, as well as individual counseling. The overall program is very comprehensive and may also include a bracelet which constantly monitors blood alcohol levels.

Minnesota

Minnesota has been rolling out a series of increasingly stringent laws aimed at reducing the number of people driving while intoxicated. These laws are strictly enforced and tend to target those drivers who are repeat offenders. The most recent law requires that every person who is found to have an excessive level of alcohol in their system (0.16 as rated by a breathalyzer) will be required to install an ignition lock system. This device will prevent them from starting their vehicle if their blood-alcohol level is above 0.02 if they want to retain their driving privileges. The cost is passed on to the individual who will have to pay about $50 to have the device installed and an additional $100 for monthly monitoring. According to the findings of the Minnesota Office of Communications, these new laws culminated in the “lowest annual death figure on record”.

Washington

Washington has been in the national news for the recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study on the efficacy of the laws which implemented the use of ignition interlock devices. The study found repeat offenses of driving while intoxicated were down about 12 percent. However, because the law was relatively new the authors of the study believe the reduction totals could exceed 50 percent.
Washington is one of only 15 states to have mandatory ignition interlock laws.

The unifying theme in the success of these three states is the monitoring of repeat offenders. These states are on the cutting edge of a new safety trend which appears to be one of the most effective methods of reducing the number of people driving while under the influence of alcohol. These devices provide something for repeat offenders that they have not been able to find within themselves, accountability. The devices make it possible for people to be immediately accountable for their actions by making it impossible for them to start their vehicle if they have been drinking excessively. It is obvious that the majority of repeat offenders are not capable of moderating their own behavior; otherwise they would not continue to be apprehended for the same crime. These devices not only have the potential to save the lives of innocent bystanders who could be harmed by an individual who is driving while intoxicated, they also have the potential to help modify the long-term behavior of habitual offenders.

DUI vehicle insurance is normally considered as a high risk indemnity coverage policy. For this reason, you might find it tricky to get vehicle indemnity coverage when you hold a backdrop of DUI. Chief insurance organizations have high rates for DUI vehicle insurance coverage, usually at a total percent amplification of 100% to 400%. In order to receive a somewhat economical DUI vehicle insurance, you need to compare costs of different indemnity coverage companies who charge you a reasonable amount for a SR-22.

Auto insurance coverage companies also perform thorough verifications on the consumer’s driving documentation. That is why there is a probability that they will detect any obtainable DUI tickets. If you possess any existing auto indemnity policy, receiving a DUI ticket is actually an assured means to get you evicted from their catalog of customers for renewal. In case this occurs, don’t be anxious since you’ll discover other indemnity coverage companies, which provide high-risk vehicle coverage policies. This could be a better option than not holding any policy for DUI vehicle indemnity coverage.

However, there’s still a chance that your insurance coverage company won’t validate your driving documentation and have an effect on your DUI vehicle indemnity policy. Stick to that organization until they find out your ticket. Changing to another insurance company might be a greater risk for you since they’ll carry out background verifications that may include having a look at your driving record.

Over the last few years, police and law enforcement officials around the country have noticed a rise in the number of female drivers being cited for drunk driving.  And more alarmingly, many of those drivers have children in the car when they are caught. 

Although men still account for more DUI arrests than women, the gap is closing. In fact, while the rate of DUI among men has fallen, it is rising among female drivers.  From 1998 to 2007, the number of men who were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol declined by nearly 8%.  Over that same period, the number of women arrested for drinking and driving rose by nearly 30%. 

There are a few theories that attempt to explain this pattern.  First, the number of women who abuse alcohol (have more than 4 drinks in a day) has increased to 2.6% in 2002 from 1.5% in 1993.  The rate of alcohol abuse among women between 30 and 44 years of age has more than doubled in that time. 

Others suggest that women are facing increased pressures at home or work, which may lead to drinking problems, which inevitably leads to driving under the influence.  One official from the California Office of Traffic Safety theorizes that women have made great strides economically over the last few decades, virtually erasing any imbalance that existed in this area with men, and that success may be leading them to “exhibit the same uninhibited behaviors” more commonly associated with men, including drinking and driving.  

Or the explanation could simply be that police officers are less likely today to give female drunk drivers a pass. 

Whatever the case may be, the most disturbing consequence of the rise in female drunk driving is the related rise in the number of DUIs that are issued to women who have children in the car when they are pulled over.  In fact, women are more likely to be caught drinking and driving with children in the car than men.  The implications of this trend are truly frightening. 

If you have been pulled over for DUI, you should contact an experienced and tough DUI lawyer in your area right away.  Your DUI lawyer can study the facts of your case, compare them to the charges that have been filed against you, and advise you of your options.  Although nothing can be guaranteed, having a good DUI lawyer on your side increase the chances of achieving at least a fair, if not favorable, legal outcome.

Christopher McCann is an Orange County DUI lawyer and criminal defense lawyer. McCann is a practicing lawyer at the Law Offices of Christopher J. McCann and generally writes on topics related to criminal defense and DUIs. McCann was voted as a “Rising Star Attorney” in 2010 by Southern California SuperLawyers Magazine.

In Fairfield, Connecticut, on March 15^th, a 47-year-old woman was charged with driving under the influence while two of her neighbor’s kids were along for the ride.

The woman apparently got into her car with both children around 7:45 p.m. and appeared to be intoxicated at that time, according to a call received by police. The police ran the address for the license plate reported by the caller and linked it to the home of Leslie Dmowski. To follow up, a patrol car headed to the address where only Dmowski’s husband was home to answer the door. He told the police that he didn’t know where his wife was and did not know whether she had children with her. The officers asked a neighbor if they had seen Leslie or knew where she was heading, and the neighbor told them that she was going out for pizza.

Shortly after, the police received a call from the manager of Pepe’s Pizza to report a customer who seemed to be intoxicated, demonstrating disruptive behavior in the restaurant.

The officers headed to the pizza place and stopped Dmowski nearby. The officers reportedly smelled alcohol on Dmowski’s breath and noticed slurred speech. Ms. Dmowski stated that she had been drinking wine, and the officers moved to administer a series of field sobriety tests.

The officers tried to demonstrate the tests for Dmowski, but they reported she had no reaction and would not complete the tests. She was taken into custody and refused to be photographed or do more sobriety tests.

Dmowski has been charged with driving under the influence, interfering with police investigation, and two counts of risk of injury to a minor with a bond set at $10,500 and trial scheduled for March 22.

The 11 and 13-year-old children were held at the scene until their mother could pick them up.

By-line:

Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez @gmail.com.

An aftermath of binge drinking can cause anything from a minor accident or illness like a skin disease or anxiety to as enormous an illness as, a stroke or cancer. Youth along with men and women everywhere, need to be well educated on the consequences of this excessive drinking, for them to be able to take intelligent and rationale decisions when they go to a pub, party or get together. Other than causing health and accidental problems, binge drinking can also cause issues at home and office. Statistics reveal that 30% of sexual crimes happen due to excessive alcohol consumption and the same for about 30% thefts and 50% street crimes.

The Ministry of Health recognizes binge drinking as an increasing, unpleasant problem and are taking different measures to curb the same. Measures include discouraging liquor licenses, alcohol consumption checks, and stringent liquor transport policies etc. While alcohol consumption in India is much lesser compared to other countries, consumption in the younger population (under 21 years) has risen from 2% to 15% over the years.

It is understood that there is no end and severity limit to the ill effects of binge drinking, however how does one find out if he or she is a victim of the same?

A binge drinker is likely to experience one or more of the signs below: 

• Drinks 6-7 units of alcohol in a short span of 1-2 hours.
• Drinks regularly to get inebriated.
• Consumes alcohol and gets encourages to do wild acts.
• Often has hangover days.
• Experiences periods of brain and memory fogs between drinking days.
• Feels relaxed from stress by consuming a pitcher of beer or couple glasses of whisky or vodka.
• Feels depressed and low between drinking days.

There are a lot of organizations that are committed to helping such victims and getting them back on the right track. A positive approach with the willingness to lead a better future with family and friends will help quicker recovery.

This is a guest post by Ricky Palermo, occasional guest blogger on the environment, health, and social concerns.  Ricky is now writing for the Last Call Program, a great organization dedicated to binge drinking help.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offense that claims the lives of thousands of people every year. Our dedicated staff of attorneys work to get you compensation for you what was lost from you too early.  There is no way to remove the memory of what that person means to you. It is important that we help you regain what you have lost from your life, because every attorney at our office believes every life is important and easily saved by encouraging and informing young people not to drink and drive.

While it might never be enough, there are a number of different approaches that our San Diego wrongful death attorney can provide you with a number of options to get your life back to normal.

If you have loosed love one to a DUI driver, here are a few common ideas that can help console you right now.

Here are a few common ideas to help you get your life back on track:

First, take some time for yourself. When tragedy happens we can sometimes get so caught up in the moment that we do not fully take care of our self. Take a day or a week just to do something different that will not get you caught up in all of the changes. If nothing else go to a movie, take a  quick trip, get out of the house to forget about your troubles for a little while.

Second, take some time to grieve. Something really horrible happened, and you need to take time to acknowledge that loss to yourself. Denying the reality of the situation will not help.

Third, do not just acknowledge their loss, but also celebrate their life as well.  The person who is gone has made a difference in your life that needs to be remembered with a great deal of reverence, because they made an impact on who you are today.

Lastly, take some time to talk to children about drunk driving and its danger to not only their lives, but the innocent lives of the victims of the easily avoidable crime.

To learn more about how our San Diego wrongful death attorney can help you with your wrongful death DUI case please contact us.

On a Horse: In smaller towns it’s not uncommon for a person to get ‘pulled’ over while riding a horse drunk. There have been many cowboys’ that have received DUI’s.

Bicycle: You can get tickets for not wearing a helmet or using other traffic laws like stopping at a stop sign while riding your bicycle. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise you can and will get a DUI ticket if you are riding a bike while intoxicated.

Golf Cart: Getting a DUI while driving a golf cart is more common than you know. With the amount of beer consumed from the bear cart girl, it’s no surprise golf courses monitor their guests drinking and golfing.

On a Tractor: In more rural parts of the country, many tractor drivers use main roads to travel from farm to farm but also to drive home from a night of drinking. There are plenty of videos floating around online of tractor drivers receiving DUI’s.

Dolphin: Probably the most odd and most interesting way to get arrested for drinking. Two men in England were arrested when they left a bar after one too many drinks and decided to hail a dolphin for a ride. They were later ticketed and word is that the dolphin swam away, soberly.

Lawnmower: Riding lawnmowers are meant for cutting your lawn and not driving on a street after drinking. Word of advice on this one: don’t drink and mow.

Wheelchair: In some states, a motorized wheelchair can earn you a DUI if they find you guilty of drinking and operating the motorized wheelchair; especially if you are driving on a public street where other are.

These may be interesting and entertaining ways to get a DUI, but a DUI is still a serious offense. The same driving rules and DUI consequences apply to all the above. Driving under the influence is costly and could be harmful if not deadly to yourself or others. Whatever you do, make sure you find a DD, whether it is for your horse or golf cart, be smart out there.

Author Bio:-

This is a guest post by Coleen Torres from local phone service.

1.      Cell Phone-Related Accidents

The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis has collected and distributed national data on accidents in which the use of a cell phone was involved, and the figures are staggering.  To date, their research has shown that in 2,600 fatal car accidents each year there was reported cell phone usage during the crash, added to another 330,000 accidents resulting in critical injuries.  Considering that, after you rule out certain figures from drunk driving accidents — such as those where the driver was not over the legal limit, those where the drivers killed themselves, and those where the injured or deceased were drunk pedestrians — there are only around 4,800 real drunk driving murders, it seems that the law is missing a pretty important point. Talking on cell phones while driving is dangerous.

2.      Accidents caused by Drowsy Drivers

Like cell phone use, it is hard to measure how many people die while asleep behind the wheel, but the government has estimated that there are approximately 1,500 deaths annually because of people driving while tired.   Think about how many deaths go unreported because people weren’t aware that they were sleeping when they got into a wreck.  There’s no way to account for it, but it definitely happens, and it happens more than the police and media are letting on.

Clearly drunk driving is a problem, but sometimes it seems the DUI campaigns are a little too enthusiastic, and often are blinded to other important areas of safety that could use some regulation as well.

Byline:

Jane Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. She writes about free background checks for Backgroundcheck.org. Questions and comments can be sent to: janesmth161 @ gmail.com