It is one thing to play with a loaded gun while drunk in a room by yourself but to do so in public with no concern about the gun going off and killing the person sitting next to you, a child across the street or both is criminal and stupid at the most basic level. Drunk driving is no different–it is a deliberate use of force against others and oneself with a deadly instrument.

It is not as if the drunk driver is not aware of what he is doing. The daily news is full of the sudden and senseless tragedy that has befallen someone’s son, daughter, brother, sister, father or mother because someone else chose to get behind the wheel after getting drunk that day. These stories are repeated hundreds of times a day, every single day and yet hundreds of thousands of thoughtless people will drink, drive and kill or maim someone every year.

There are countless warnings in papers, on TV and in magazines every single day about how many drinks are too many but there is obviously something missing in the message because it seems like it is not getting through to hundreds of thousands of people. This is one more article put out there in the hope that someone, somewhere will read it and decide not to drive drunk and maybe, just maybe, save some precious life.

So what exactly is the definition of “drunk”? What most people don’t realize is that it is possible to be legally considered “impaired” by law even if one has not taken a single drink but has consumed some other substance that adversely affects one’s ability to drive safely. It may be an illegal drug or even a prescription medicine. The police can pull one over on mere suspicion that one is “driving under the influence (DWI)” if for example, one is driving erratically or weaving in or out of traffic lanes.

Many people who “feel OK” after a few drinks and decide to “chance it” don’t realize that all it takes is someone else to cause an accident, even a minor one, to land them in jail. The idiot behind you may cause a fender-bender. Some stupid dog may dash into the street and get under your wheels. A fool kid’s baseball may smash into your windshield. A tree limb may fall onto your car. These are all common events which in the normal course would be taken care of by the insurance companies and all would be well. But if you happen to have had a couple of drinks or more, you could have a jail record to your name for no fault of your own. And that would be the best case. In all likelihood, you would spend thousands defending yourself in court and even more in sharply higher insurance for years. You may lose your job because you can’t drive or find it difficult to get another one. In short, you would ruin your life and those of your loved ones. Is it worth it?

You decide.

Just in case you decide not to drive drunk, call a friend or a cab. And please pass the message along.

For more information on drunk driving, go to DWI in Texas and Choosing A DWI Lawyer.

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“Never drink and drive.” This is the familiar statement we hear continuously. We are frequently reminded by law enforcement or your own parents to never drive if we are intoxicated. But most individuals just seem to forget this reminder every time they go home from the bar or a party. So to know more about the problem of drinking and driving, here are some interesting facts on drunk driving. These facts are important to learn because they could save your life as well as the lives of others.

1. Drunk driving is responsible for approximately a third of all the traffic fatalities in the U.S.

2. On average, an individual in the USA dies due to a drunk driver every 40 minutes.

3. About 3 in 10 Americans will likely be involved in an alcohol-related crash some time in life.

4. According to the United States law, someone is recognized as legally intoxicated when the blood alcohol content, or BAC, reaches least 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/dl).

5. Impairment begins even before your BAC reaches 0.08 g/dl.

6. With a BAC level of 0.02, response time and driving ability can be disrupted. At 0.05, the odds of an automobile accident raises significantly. And at 0.08 g/dl, the chances increase speedily.

7. It takes about 6 hours for the alcohol to be completely removed from the body for a BAC level of 0.08 g/dl.

8. A man approximately 170 pounds needs to consume 4 standard drinks in an hour for his BAC level to reach 0.08 g/dl.

9. A woman weighing approximately 140 pounds would need to consume 3 conventional drinks in an hour for her BAC level to reach 0.08 g/dl.

10. About 80 % of drunk driving deaths or due to beer consumption.

One thing can be deduced from all of these facts. Drunk driving is dangerous. It’s the major cause of many car accidents and has killed many lives. It has not just taken the lives of those drunk drivers but innocent people’s as well. If you do not care about getting yourself in trouble, think of the other people you could end up killing with your actions.. If there is one thing that you should always take seriously, it is always your life and the lives of others. Never get behind the wheel drunk, even if you think you will be fine, it is important to understand the severity of drunk driving.

If charged with a DUI you want to make certain you look at DUI Lawyers and locate one that will best represent you If heading to the court room.

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Facing a charge of a DUI-related offense in Arizona is a serious legal problem, regardless of the circumstances. The public has pressured the legislature for years both in Arizona and around the United States to pass tougher punishments for DUI convictions, and the legislature has heeded that call.

Below is a look at the potential punishments for convictions of DUI charges in Arizona, and these represent the maximum penalties allowed by law. Rather than face these maximum punishments, you should contact a DUI defense lawyer in order to fight the case and possibly reduce your exposure.

DUI Punishments in Arizona

Below are the maximum punishments attached to the different DUI charges in Arizona:

1. First-time DUI – 180 days in jail, $1,800 fine plus jail costs, license suspension for 90 days and 12 months of an interlock ignition device.
2. Second-time DUI – 180 days in jail, $3,000 fine plus jail costs, license suspension for 90 days and 12 months of a breath alcohol locking unit on your car.
3. First-time Extreme DUI – If you are convicted of DUI with a BAC of .15 or above, you’ll face a maximum of 180 days in jail, a $3,000 fine plus jail costs, a 90-day license suspension and 12 months of an interlock ignition device.
4. Second-time Extreme DUI – 180 days in jail, $3,750 fine plus jail costs, a one-year revocation of your driver’s license and 12 months of an interlock ignition device.
5. First-time Super Extreme DUI – If you are convicted of a DUI with a BAC of .20 or above, you’ll face 180 days in jail, $3,250 fine plus jail costs, a 90-day revocation of your driver’s license and 18 months of an interlock ignition device.
6. Second-time Super Extreme DUI – Mandatory 180 days in jail, $4,000 fine plus jail costs, a one-year driver’s license revocation and 24 months of an interlock ignition device.
7. Class 4 Felony Aggravated DUI – This charge arises if it constitutes your third DUI within seven years or a DUI with a suspended or revoked license. You will face a minimum of 4 months in prison, more than $150,000 in fines plus costs, a three-year driver’s license revocation and an interlock ignition device.
8. Class 6 Felony Aggravated DUI – This charge arises when you are arrested for DUI with a child under 15 years of age in the vehicle. You will face the minimum sentences for the DUI charges above and could lose your vehicle. You could also face more than $150,000 in fines plus costs, a three-year driver’s license revocation and an interlock ignition device.

Your Next Step

Of course, none of these charges listed above include such remedies as probation, alcohol assessments or the requirement to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Victims Impact Panel. Rather than face these charges alone, contact the Phoenix DUI lawyers at Phillips & Associates today to get the process of building your defense started. Please visit http://www.arizonacriminallaw.info to learn more about Arizona drunk driving penalties and defense strategies.

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Officer “X” Reveals His Top Methods For Making His DUI Quota.

I was visiting Alabama last week and met up with an old co-worker. She’s married to a cop, and we got to talking about how police catch the bad guys. Steve said his squad has a lot of secrets to catching drunk drivers. Since conviction of a first Alabama DUI can mean up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $2,100 and the suspension of your driver’s license for 90 days, you’ll want to make sure you aren’t part of the quota for Officer “X.”

1. Be very careful in Alabama: Their DUI law doesn’t require a drunk driver be caught driving the car! Just the fact that you’re in the car and able to operate it may be all that police need to arrest you. It’s not a secret, really – unless you don’t know the law, that is! Be aware of this Catch-22.

2. Don’t sleep it off in the park – the cops cruise through there regularly. Don’t sleep it off in any public place. It might ultimately be a lot cheaper to just rent a motel room for the night.

3. Drive safely. You have to make a driving mistake in order to be pulled over. If you’re driving safely and courteously, the cops won’t suspect you. Did you know that, if you’re driving unsafely, even if you haven’t been drinking, you can still be charged with an Alabama DUI?

4. Do not take a field sobriety test. If you’re unlucky enough to get pulled over, and the police ask you to walk-and-turn, or do the one-leg test, it is your right to say no, because it’s completely voluntary. Don’t take the bait!

5. Watch out for the bouncer. Police will often bribe the bouncer to tip them off to the people who might be drunk. Police have a quota to fill, you know!

6. Don’t go to the liquor store after you’ve had a few. Police will regularly cruise around liquor stores. If someone’s been drinking, just parking poorly will tip off the cops, let alone if they see someone fumbling to open their car door.

7. Keep your cool at roadblocks and checkpoints. They’re not a very effective method of catching drunk drivers, as only about.03% of the drivers turn out to be drunk. It’s really just a bait and switch method for meeting their DUI quota, because the cops are watching and waiting up the road for you to turn around and leave as though you have something to hide.

8. If you’re on parole, make sure you’re stone-cold sober when you see your parole officer. A lot of police officers have parole officers for friends, and friends share information. If you’re a DUI parolee, especially if you live in a small town, you’re already on the police radar.

9. And if you are a DUI parolee, remember you’re not supposed to frequent establishments that serve alcohol, except for ball parks, concerts, etc. Stay clean even when you visit these places, because there are always a lot of cops there!

10. Call a cab. The second-shift cops always cruise around bars and clubs after closing time, looking for suspects. It will be much cheaper – and safer – to call a cab instead.

MyDUIAttorney.org is a directory of qualified attorneys, lawyers and firms who deal with drunk driving cases and help defend those charged with a DUI offense. The directory provides a source of marketing and lead generation for these attorneys, lawyers and law firms, making it easy for DUI offenders to search and contact qualified professionals who can help them.

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It is commonly believed that alcoholism, which is defined as “an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency,” is one of the leading causes of drunk driving. However, studies have shown that this statement is false since it was found that most people with DUIs (people driving under influence of drugs or alcohol) are not even alcoholics.

There are severe laws against drunk driving in the US. They are collectively known as DUI or DWI laws. There’s an entire procedure to be followed if you are caught or suspected to be driving drunk.

The primary trigger of suspicion while driving drunk is the apprehensive driving behavior of a person. When a traffic police officer notices any kind of such driving behavior, he has the authority to call a traffic stop on that vehicle. If, at the stopping of the vehicle, the officer observes slurred speech, general incoherence, and/or odor of alcohol, he has the authority to order a field sobriety test. These tests don’t measure actual blood alcohol content level, but they measure the coordination of the suspect, requiring the demonstration of good judgment and motor skills.

Failure to exhibit these will lead to the officer demanding a BAC test (Blood Alcohol Content test.) To pass this test, the level of alcohol in your blood should be lower than the legitimate limit set by the state. In most states, this limit is.10% BAC, while in others it is as low as.08% BAC. For drivers under the age of the legal drinking age, which is 21 years, this limit is normally zero, but in some states it can be as high as.02% BAC. Since the BAC in a person’s body lowers over time, this test must be administered quickly if the officer wishes to gather evidence to make a DUI charge. For this reason, police officers mostly use breathalyzers rather than standard blood tests, as breathalyzers are minimally invasive as well as quicker as they immediately calculate the blood alcohol content in a breath sample.

However, it is important to note that no DUI suspect is bound by law to follow any of the procedures, after the traffic stop. Before the tests are administered, protocol requires that the suspect be given the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer. Once the suspect avails his right to a lawyer, no further questioning is allowed, and no tests can be administered.

If you require further information, please visit: Drunk Driving

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There is a trend among police departments across the U.S. to force DUI suspects to have their blood alcohol content (BAC) measured. Since BAC evidence is generally the most powerful evidence to support a DUI conviction, many jurisdictions are going the extra mile to get it.

During “No Refusal” campaigns, drivers who are suspected of DUI are given an ultimatum. They may submit to a breath test to measure their blood alcohol content, or they will be forced to give a blood sample for testing. After a motorist is given the choice and still refuses to take a breath test, a warrant to obtain a blood sample is immediately obtained. Judges are on standby to sign the blood draw warrants.

In some jurisdictions that allow forced blood draws on DUI suspects, the officers do the blood draws themselves, rather than taking suspects to the hospital for blood draws by trained medical professionals. Although there has been at least one lawsuit filed because of this practice, it has become more common to allow officers without adequate medical training to draw blood from DUI suspects.

Scripps News reported an Arizona man filed a lawsuit after allegedly developing a persistent infection at the site of a blood draw performed by a Pima County sheriff’s deputy. Under Arizona DUI laws, suspects must submit to blood alcohol content testing or lose their driver’s license for one year. The officer makes the choice whether to take a breath or blood sample and the driver has no choice.

As DUI lawyers can more easily challenge breath test results, law enforcement departments have become more aggressive with no refusal events and policies. Blood alcohol testing done with a blood sample is far more reliable and not as easily refuted in court.

However, when the arresting officers take forced blood samples at the roadside, there is a greater risk to the health of DUI [http://www.totaldui.com/overview/default.aspx] suspects. As no refusal policies become more common, more personal injury lawsuits are likely. Regardless of the disposition of a DUI case, if a suspect is injured or becomes ill due to a forced blood draw; taxpayers may wind up footing the bill for medical expenses and punitive damages.

I believe in protecting people’s rights. This includes the rights of anyone accused of a crime, even DUI [http://www.totaldui.com] and DWI. The DUI laws in every state are complex and nuanced. Knowing your rights and the laws will help you make better decisions – decisions that could have a big impact on the rest of your life.

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The penalties for DUI cases differ from state to state. In the state of Arizona, the penalties that might be sentenced on you largely depend on two things – the type of DUI charged to you and your current criminal record. If you have previous DUI offenses within the past 7 years or 84 months, this can affect the gravity of your sentence.

If you have a clean felony record, the following punishments will apply to you. For first time DUI offenders with a BAC above .08%, you will be sentenced to a jail time ranging from 10 to 180 days. Out of the 10 days of your jail time, 9 of them can be used for alcohol consultation, evaluation, and treatment. You will also need to pay a fine of $1800, excluding jail costs. Your driver’s license will be suspended for 90 days and you might be put under probation for five years. Community service might also be imposed, plus you will be required to have an ignition interlock device for 12 months.

For second time offenders of regular DUI, the penalties are basically are a little higher. The minimum time you are to spend in jail is 90 consecutive days. However, the court may suspend 60 days if you complete the alcohol consultation, evaluation, and treatment. You fine will also increase to $3500 plus additional jail costs. Your license is in danger of revocation for one year, plus you will be under probation for five years. Community service is mandatory for a minimum of 30 hours, and you will also be required to have an ignition interlock device for 12 months after your license has been returned.

If you commit your first extreme DUI offense with a BAC of .150% to .199%, you will spend 30 to 180 days in jail and $3000 in fines and fees, excluding the jail costs. Just like the first regular DUI offense, your license will be suspended for 90 days, you will be put under probation for five years, and you will be required to have an ignition interlock device. For your second extreme DUI offense, the penalty is generally the same except that you will spend a minimum of 120 days in jail, pay a fine of $3750, and surrender your license for a year. A minimum of 30 hours of community service is also required.

You will be charged with an extreme case of DUI if you have a BAC of .200% or higher. In your fist offense, you will spend 45-180 days in jail, but it will become a flat 180 days in your second offense. The fine for the first offense is $3250, while a minimum of $4000 will be charged for a second offense. Other penalties are the same as the first and second DUI offenses.

If you commit a DUI offense for the third time or while your license is suspended, you will be charged with a class 4 felony, in which you will need a Phoenix DUI attorney to help you. The punishment involves 4 months in prison and up to $150,000 in fines and fees. Your license will also be revoked for three years. If you are driving with a child under 15 years of age, you may be charged with a class 6 felony, which involves longer jail time and confiscation of vehicle. The fines can also amount up to $150,000, plus your license will be revoked for three years. An Arizona DUI attorney could come in handy during these trying times.

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Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Checkpoints have a checkered past in the United States. Some states outlaw them completely, others have statutory limitations, and others have statutes which are relatively mute on the subject. Arizona is one of the latter states, where checkpoints have few limitations and are a reality of life in our fair state.

In Arizona a DUI checkpoint is essentially a roadblock. The roadway will be blocked off with police cruisers and a thin line each way will be allowed to pass through. Cars are stopped based on a mathematical formula, rather than appearance of the driver or car. Once a car is selected, they will be asked for their license and registration. If the driver appears nervous, is fumbling, or smells like alcohol or drugs, they may be asked to go to a secondary inspection station. More on that later.

The most important thing to remember, for both driver and passengers, is to remain calm. It is a good idea to have your license and registration easily accessible, so your nerves do not make you out to look like a drunk driver. Just a little adrenaline can make pulling your wallet out of your back pocket and your license out of the plastic screen to be a difficult endeavor. All passengers should remain quiet, and should not volunteer any information. Of course, open containers should always be avoided, and if found during a DUI checkpoint will immediately flag suspicion in the officer.

The officers will be looking for slurred speech, glassy eyes, the smell of drugs or alcohol, fumbling, or other drunken behaviors. Generally, a driver who quickly presents his license and registration with no smells or strange behaviors will have a brief encounter with Arizona’s police force.

Should the police instruct you to head to a secondary inspection station, you should calmly place the car into gear and drive (carefully!) to the area (it may be tented). From this point you are effectively under the same rules as a DUI stop. You will be asked how many drinks you have had, and several other questions to ascertain whether or not you are “under the influence.”

Should you be arrested for DUI in Arizona, do not give up all hope. Cooperate with the police, but do not volunteer information which may incriminate you. Remember your fifth amendment rights, and stick to them. Once you are released from custody, contact an Arizona DUI lawyer for a consultation on your rights and whether or not they can represent you.

Good Luck!

Cias

Cias Hart is a lifelong resident of Arizona. He is currently employed as a writer, and lives in Phoenix with his fianc�e and two American Staffordshire Terrier puppies.

If you’ve been arrested for a DUI in Arizona, you should immediately contact a DUI lawyer. Do not go it alone or attempt to challenge a DUI arrest on your own; the court system will put well trained prosecutors against you to try to levy the maximum fines. Click one of the links provided to get into contact with an experienced Arizona DUI attorney.

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If you have been pulled over and arrested in Phoenix, Arizona for drunk driving, what do you do? The first and the most important thing that you need to do is for you to get in touch with a lawyer familiar with handling DUI cases. He or she ahs to be someone who has handled cases before that specifically touched on Arizona rules when it comes to DUI. This is because, each state has their own ways of handling and penalizing DUI cases.

When it comes to DUI, you are actually allowed to take a shot at defending yourself in court. However, taking a lawyer’s service for your DUI case will help you in a lot of way. They deal with these cases and DUI charges on a daily basis so they are already familiar with how to go about defending DUI offenders. They can provide guidance on the matters concerning the case and help you go through it in a breeze.

When facing a Phoenix or Arizona DUI case, expect that you will have to undergo a number of mandatory tests such as blood test, urine test, and breath test. These are the different ways by which they can measure how much alcohol content is in your blood. These are crucial steps in proving that you are not guilty of the charges filed against you. So in effect, your refusal to comply could be taken as admission of guilt on your part. Your DUI lawyer’s role extends to providing you with more details about these tests, its implications, as well as options that you might have. From this they can give you sound advice that will be beneficial to the progress of your case.

Aside from the various tests that you would need to take, you would also have to face several paper works. It is crucial that you do this in accordance with the law and comply with the deadlines in place. Your lawyer should be able to assist on this and can help ensure that all paper works are submitted on time. Keep in mind that you can get penalized for a mere delay in submission of documents.

There are various forms of punishment for a DUI case, which greatly depends on the findings. But by using the services of a good lawyer, you might be able to successfully come through this ordeal. Finding an excellent lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona who can assist you with your Arizona DUI case is in fact the most important thing you have to do. Plus it is not going to be a difficult undertaking. It is just easy to locate a highly qualified and experienced DUI lawyer to help you fix your case.

In conclusion, hiring the service of a DUI lawyer for your Phoenix DUI case is going to work to your advantage. If in any case that your driver’s licence has been suspended already, your lawyer could help you retrieve it so you can drive again. More importantly, as your lawyer help you sort out your Arizona DUI case, you can stay on living your life as usual.

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Did you know that driving under the influence (DUI) is the leading cause of traffic-related deaths and accidents in the U.S.? To know more about DUI and the penalties associated with it, read the article below.

What is driving under the influence (DUI)?

It is when individuals get arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or under the influence of drugs. Individuals guilty of DUI have blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than .08. Moreover, it is one of the common reasons why people get jailed and spend the night in jail.

Depending on the state or jurisdiction where you belong, DUI comes in variety of names like driving while intoxicated (DWI), operating a motor while intoxicated (OWI), driving while impaired (DWI) or operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OMVI).

DUI not only includes alcohol but any intoxicant like narcotics drug or any other drugs which affect our central nervous system.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 17,000 individuals died of alcohol-related crashes in 2006 and about 10.2 individuals aged 12 years old and above drive while they are under the influence of illicit drugs.

Statistics show that about 40% Americans got themselves involved in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes during their lifetime, while more than 50% of drivers got arrested for drunk driving.

Did you know that every two minutes, someone got himself injured because of alcohol related accident? Moreover, these accidents and injuries are not only restricted to the lives of drivers and pedestrians but it leads to about 73 billion dollars worth of losses. In 2008 alone, about one-third of drivers got themselves involved in alcohol-related crashes due to drinking and driving.

Because of the rising DUI cases in different states in the U.S. the government has imposed strict tolerance on DUI cases. Even though penalties vary from state to state, there are some common penalties which are universal.

Penalties and associated costs of DUI conviction:

1. For first time conviction, those found guilty of DUI are imprisoned from 24 hours to 11 months and 29 days, penalized from $350 to $1,500 and their drivers’ licenses are revoked for one year.
2. For second time conviction, those found guilty of DUI are imprisoned from 45 days to 11 months and 29 days, penalized from and revocation of drivers’ licenses for two years.
3. For the third conviction, those found guilty are imprisoned from 120 days to 11 months and 29 days, penalized from $1,100 to $10,000 and their drivers’ licenses are revoked for three to 10 years.
4. For fourth conviction, those found guilty are imprisoned for not less than 150 consecutive days, penalized from $3,000 to $15,000 and their drivers’ licenses are revoked for five years.

Other consequences of DUI conviction:

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• Fines
• Court costs
• Towing of vehicles and payment of storage fees
• Bail
• Professional fees of lawyers
• Mandatory enrollment to alcohol education program
• Driver’s license reinstatement fees
• Higher cost of insurance premiums and SR-22 form
• Payment of ignition interlock program

With the detrimental impact of DUI conviction to your life and your future, it is best that you should avoid drinking if you are driving or you should not drive if you drink.

Camelia Johnston enjoys writing for Drunkdrivinginmichigan.com which offers information on Michigan DUI attorney and Royal Oak DUI attorney as well as a host of additional services.

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