 Driving under the influence (DUI), or drunk drivingis a serious offence: It could mean the loss of your driver's license, civil fines or jail time. DUI law in the US prohibits driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or above. The laws for each state are similar, however each state differs in DUI charges. If you have been arrested or awaiting trial, you may want to seek help from an experienced DUI lawyer.
DUI, also referred to as driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a serious offence and a crime for a driver to operate a vehicle when impaired. DUI is also referred to as operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated ( OWI ) or operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OMVI), depending upon the jurisdiction. But not matter where you are, a drunk driving conviction can severely impact your life, particularly if you are a repeat offender.
Some states allow convicted drunk drivers to drive if their vehicle has an Ignition Interlock device installed, which analyzes the driver's breath and can disable the ignition if the driver has been drinking. In some states repeat offenders can have their vehicle seized and auctioned off by the state and face higher insurance premiums if convicted for DUI.
DUI Law
 It is illegal in all states to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or above. There are calculators and charts available to determine your limit but they aren't 100 percent accurate or reliable.
All states have adopted 21 as the legal drinking age, and all states have passed Zero Tolerance laws which penalize persons under 21 for operating a vehicle with a BAC of .00 (if the arresting officer detects the smell of alcohol) or with negligible BAC levels such as .01 or .02 percent.
Law enforcement officers have the right to stop a vehicle when they suspect the driver may be intoxicated. If stopped, you will be asked for your license, registration and insurance. If suspected of DUI, you will be asked to take a field sobriety test (FST) that may include having you walk a straight line, reciting the alphabet backwards, using a breathalyzer to determine blood-alcohol concentrations, or you may be taken to a hospital for urine and blood testing.
DUI Charges
 If you refuse such testing, you may be subjected to penalties such as losing your driver's license for six months to a year. Your refusal may be used to increase penalties if you are convicted for DUI. Two-thirds of the states have now passed Administrative License Revocation (ALR) laws, which allow the arresting officer to take the license of drivers who fail or refuse to take a breath test.
Penalties for DUI, even the first offense, have been increased, mainly due to the efforts of groups like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD). In some states first offenders could spend a weekend in jail and face lengthy license suspensions.
Hundreds of new DUI laws have been passed nationwide since 1980. Many states have DUI laws requiring mandatory jail time for repeat DUI convictions and some states have passed habitual violator laws, meaning offenders lose many of their civil rights and can permanently lose their driver's license.
DUI charges can range from a fine to losing your license, and even jail time. You could receive a criminal record, which means you will be fingerprinted and photographed into police databases, possibly affecting your employment and freedom to travel.
If you have a DUI, your fines and charges may be lessened with the help of a qualified DUI attorney. |
DUI ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS
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Canadian Police Officer Arrested for DUI Twice in Two Months
Vancouver, BC: It's bad enough when a DUI occurs, but it’s worse when a cop is caught driving under the influence. Even worse—when it happens twice..
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DUI in Ohio: Influence Takes on a Whole New Meaning
Mansfield, OH: Driving while under the influence is, of course, morally reprehensible and all the clichéd adjectives apply: foolish, stupid, dangerous, irresponsible. However, if you are ever pulled over for drunk driving, just hope that it's in Ohio, where State regulators have adopted, in principle, a machine that is facing lawsuits in several other states as being unreliable. The latter can affect DUI law and a good DUI attorney can certainly use a tester with a dubious reputation to help your case..
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DUI is Not Always Cut-and-Dried
Feather River Beach, CA: It doesn't take long to unearth a news story about drinking and driving. DUI offences happen daily, and some with tragic consequences. However, as cut-and-dried as drunk driving offences can be—and in the eyes of DUI law, if a driver's blood alcohol content is appreciably above 0.08 he is legally drunk—there is still the need to be represented by a qualified DUI lawyer..
DUI SETTLEMENTS
Drunk Driver To Pay $33 Million to Injured Friend Teen Driver Wins Suit Convenience stores to pay six-figure settlement to underage alcohol buyer in accident settlement. Underage DUI Minor injured in car accident after a Halloween party is awarded $1.5 million.
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