Blood Alcohol Level Estimates

The Drink Wheel
On-Line BAC Calculator

I have had over a period of hour(s)2.

I am Male Female (Explanation of gender differences in Blood Alcohol Concentration)

and I weigh Pounds Kilograms

and I live in (so that the result is displayed in the appropriate units).



About the Drink Wheel

The Intoximeters Inc. "Drink Wheel" is a form that you can fill out. Upon completion we will instantly compute your estimated blood/breath alcohol concentration ("BAC") based on the information that you have provided and return that estimate to you. It is presented as a public service to Intoximeters web site visitors. Its primary purpose is to provide useful information about the responsible use of alcohol.

Why is it called a "Drink Wheel"?

We call it the "Drink Wheel" because it is based on various paper and cardboard BAC calculators that are given out in alcohol awareness programs, some of which are in the form of a wheel that you can spin around to calculate your estimated BAC based on what and how much you have had to drink.

It would be extremely foolish for us to pretend that our "Drink Wheel" can tell you what your BAC actually is, first because it would open us up to an incredible amount of potential liability and second if it really did work accurately there would be no need for anyone to buy the instruments that we make and sell.

A person's actual BAC is dependent on many complex factors, including their physical condition (body composition, health etc...) and what they have recently ingested (including food, water, medications and other drugs). This site includes a more detailed discussion of the Pharmacology and Disposition of alcohol in humans.

The results that are generated are rough estimates of an average healthy person's BAC assuming typical beverage sizes, recipes and alcohol content. The BAC estimates generated by the Drink Wheel should not be used to infer anyone's fitness to work, drive or perform any other task or duty.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Alcoholic Help for Families – Help Cure Drinking Abuse

If you or someone you know suffer from alcoholism, addiction to alcohol or drugs, drinking substance abuse and uses alcohol or drugs on a daily basis, you know what kind of damaging consequences drinking and drug abuse will definitely have on the alcoholic, the alcoholic's family and on the society. DUI is one of the frequent consequences of routine alcohol consumption or drug use.

If you are in need of finding a 12 step drug program to cure addiction, or are looking for an addiction center to help cure chronic alcoholism, you may want to check out several addiction centers and find an affordable rehab. Some other alcohol and alcohol abuse cure resources that can help alcohol abuse recovery besides an alcohol abuse rehab or an impatient alcohol abuse treatment which may be costly can include low-cost or no-cost alcohol addiction help.

Alcoholics anonymous programs are scattered across the country and it is just a matter of how to find alcohol addiction recovery AA center in your area. To find an affordable alcohol addiction treatment program, look into your local yellow pages listings and specifically non-profits that specialize in alcohol and drug addiction or alcohol and substance abuse.

Alcohol clinics provide more costly alcohol help but they are some great strict alcohol intervention programs that include treatment options on-site.

Alcohol problems are very serious and the damage cannot be underestimated. It may be worth looking into some heavy duty alcohol recovery treatment programs, alcohol rehab and alcohol rehab facilities.

Alcohol rehabilitation is typically provided through alcohol rehabilitation centers of various sizes. When choosing alcohol rehabs and alcohol treatment providers, pay attention to the success rate of the alcohol treatment centers and alcohol treatment facilities you are interviewing. Depending on the location and state of your residence the cost of alcohol treatment programs will vary. When finding the best alcoholic addiction center the price is only one factor of consideration.

Alcoholic detox on the contrary, is a fast alcoholic intervention option. When locating a detox, look for detox facilities, detox and rehab, detoxification programs. Unlike an alcohol detox, alcoholic rehabilitation and alcoholic treatment can be better achieved through a comprehensive alcoholic treatment center. In addition to treatment, an alcoholic rehab will provide referrals to alcoholic help for families, alcoholic meeting, and alcoholics anonymous meeting schedules. Alcoholics anonymous meetings are conducted at various locations, typically the larger ones are held at churches and smaller ones can be located at private homes or any other facility available through a non-profit that provides venues for AA meetings.

It is important to understand that drug abuse intervention is not merely limited to drug & alcohol treatment but may also include drug abuse counseling that is a part of the long term drug treatment through inpatient rehabilitation centers also known as residential alcohol treatment centers.

Friday, November 28, 2008

What Happens to My Driver’s License after DUI Arrest and Conviction?

After DUI Arrest, Will My Driving Privileges Be Suspended or Revoked?

DUI courtrooms will use a standardized/validated screening instrument which will be used as division of the clinical assessment process and to gather evaluation data.

Driving under the influence of a controlled substance represents a large danger to the community. Raised superintendence and monitoring by the court, probation section, and treatment supplier must take place as start of a integrated scheme to intervene with reiterate and higher hazard DUI wrongdoers to defend against emerging impaired driving.

Since DUI cases hold this mistaken belief, and because they do not know their rights, reasonableness why it is so crucial that people understand the DUI process and legal rights.

Saying that any DUI attorney can do the job is like saying that it is fine to go to a child doctor to fix a broken bone. DUI conviction imposes severe charges and punishment on DUI offenders.

There is also a "hard suspension" which means you cannot legally drive. If you are like most people, you will probably still need to get around, whether it is to and from work, your children's school, the grocery store, and so on. If your license is ultimately suspended by the DMV, you can apply for a temporary driver's license, but there are fees to pay there too. If you continue to drive while your license is suspended, you may be subject to additional criminal charges and all the costs involved.

Talk to a DUI attorney as soon as possible to determine what penalties you will be facing and whether your DUI charges can be dismissed.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

What Happens After DUI Arrest?

Every measure of supporting a DUI or DWI case is the procedure causes your DUI or DWI criminal cause to pull in either an opportunistic or negative mode. The next hook admits a tremendous discourse of the action. It does not wrench to every facet of the DWI criminal case but it does come up to every major turning point.

Over historical years of DUI accusation has become more and more serious law-breaking in most states. This is different reason why it is so serious that persons understand the DUI process and eligible rights they are guaranteed under DUI law.

Many DUI wrongdoers conceive that a DUI law-breaking is no big deal, and that it is a petty crime. This is distant from the accuracy. Your driver's license or your privilege to drive a car in may be revoked for failing BAC .08% or over. If you resist breathalyzer test at the time of the stop, your permit will be automatically set aside and the police officers will seize the license.

DUI related collapses, injuries and human deaths cost our society over $45 billion in lost productivity, medical care, property damage and other direct expenditures annually.

Thus fighting DUI or DWI criminal offence is an eligible operation that consists of dual measures starting at probable event. Talk to your DUI attorney for practicable suspension lengths in your specific DUI situation.

Each DUI case is divergent. One of the worst DUI mistakes are that you can make is to adopt that your DUI case is only like any other DUI case. DUI is not the same as other DUI cases whether your own DUI offence of someone you know. While prosecuting officers must abide by the rules to prove their case, a good defense lawyer knows how to follow the law in your favor.

If you need a DUI attorney to defend you against DUI charges, you may be thinking that any lawyer can represent a person incriminated with DUI but the law is an area where a lawyer can't know everything. There is no way for one attorney to have all the obligatory information and experience. You may have a lawyer who you is competent in his area of the law, and is experienced in his area of the law which is an important quality to look for in a lawyer but such qualities cannot reserve for experience in the area of DUI law.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

DUI Lawyer and DUI California

DUI or Driving under the Influence is one of real common criminal misdemeanors modifiable, but DUI/DWI is also one of the most misconceived among general public, and even numerous lawyers, the truth about DUI is penetrated with legend. The unlucky results are that some citizenry who are charged of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs do not know their legal rights. Since those people they do not know their legal rights under the laws, those convicted persons do not get fair legal representation and those people encounter unfair and unjust penalties, regardless of whether they are guilty or innocent. Before we look at each phase of the DUI process in detail, let us begin by setting the record straight on some mundane and damaging misconceptions.

Most individuals accused of DUI are guilty. This is what we call The DUI remorse. Some inadvertently assume that, if a person is arrested, they must have done something wrong. This presumptuousness is peculiarly widespread when it comes to DUI. Though it is understandable why someone might feel this way, this is not the way the law works. It is not the way the law should work. Being incriminated of a DUI is not a conviction. No matter what your situation is, if you have been accused of driving under the influence, you have every legal right to the equity, justice and protection that the legal system guarantees.

Some of the highest density areas where DUI arrests are reported are: dui California, los angeles dui, orange county, and the whole southern California, perhaps of the highest density of drivers, as well as lack of public transportation; florida dui, scottsdale, Arizona, dui lee county, lake city dui lawyer. DUI attorneys in southern California are probably most flooded with DUI defense cases they need to attend to, so if you have been arrested and charged with DUI in California, hurry up and talk to an attorney ASAP

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

DUI/DWI Defence and Probable Causes For a Stop

Every step of supporting a DUI/DWI case is the procedure causes your DUI or DWI criminal subject to pull in either a good or crushing fashion. The next hook allows for a large treatment of the operation. It does not twist to every facet of the DWI criminal case but it does come up to each major turning point.

Fighting DUI/DWI criminal offence is a legal process that consists of multiple steps commencing at probable cause. Each step of defending a DUI/DWI case is the process that causes your DUI or DWI criminal case to play in either a beneficial or dreadful manner. The next synopsis allows a wide discussion of the process. It does not cover every facet of the DWI criminal instance but it does name each major turning point.

Probable cause for a stop. For a police officer to stop you there must be some probable cause. Often there must be some kind of traffic violation that causes the stop. From that point on if police believe that a DUI/DWI criminal offence has been committed or is in the process of being committed, they have the right to detain you further in order to complete their investigation.

Arrest is the second step in the DUI procedure. If the police officer trusts that he or she has enough probable cause or evidence to have a DWI charge, then the officer will arrest and transport you to either the county jail for a blood test if necessary. It is here where they conduct further testing and the breathalyzer.

Breathalyzer is a device commonly used to determine blood alcohol level. You are not commanded to take the breathalyzer test. You have the right to refuse the breathalyzer test. If you refuse breathalyzer test, your driver's license will be automatically suspended and the officers will confiscate the license. However, they will give you a temporary license, a paper license, which is good for a number of days depending on your state of residence.

Will my driver license be suspended if I get pulled over for DUI?
Your California driver's license or your privilege to drive a motor vehicle in California may be suspended for failing BAC .08% or higher. Such driver license suspensions can last anywhere from one hundred and eighty days to two years. Talk to your DUI attorney for practicable suspension lengths in your specific DUI situation.

If you refuse breathalyzer test, your driver's license will be automatically suspended and the officers will confiscate the license. However, they will give you a temporary license, a paper license, which is good for thirty days in California.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

How Much Can I Drink And Still Drive In My State?

All 50 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have .08 BAC per se laws.


 

At .08, every driver is dysfunctional to the point that censorious motoring capabilities are vitally broken. Analysts suggest that at .08, a driver's steering, stopping, swiftness control, lane altering, gear shifting and judgments of swiftness and space are all significantly under the influence.


 

To reach .08, a 170-pound man would need to use up four or greater drinks in one hour on an empty stomach. A 137-pound female would need to take three drinks in one hour to reach .08. A drink is looked at a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a cocktail containing 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.


 

At .08, a driver is three times more likely to be involved in a automobile crash than a sober driver, and 11 times greater likely to be killed in a single-vehicle crash.


 

About 80 percent of alcohol-related clash fatalities are caused by drivers with

no arrests for drunk dynamic during the previous three years.

Friday, November 7, 2008

DUI Statistics

DUI related crash human deaths accounted for 17,013 in 2003.

DUI related passenger deaths multiplied three percent in SUVs and five percent on motorcycles in 2003.

Forty percent of crashes involving a drunk driver or non-occupant leaded an involved person being killed or injured.

Drivers with a BAC higher than .08 who were killed in wrecks were ten times more likely to have a prior DUI arrest and following DUI conviction

About 275,000 people sustained traumas in DUI related crashes in 2003.

Over 1.5 million drunk drivers are arrested for driving DUI every year. This represents one in every 130 drivers in the United States.

The percentage of alcohol-related collapses in 2003 represents an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 31 minutes and one alcohol-related injury every two minutes.

The rate of alcohol involvement in fatal collapses is three times as higher at night as during the day. More than 53 percent of weekend evening accidents are alcohol related.

Motor vehicle wrecks are the leading cause of death for people ages 2-33.

The highest intoxication rates for drivers in fatal crashes were recorded for drivers ages 21-24 (32 percent), followed by ages 25-34 (27 percent) and 35-44 (24 percent).

DUI related crashes, injuries and human deaths cost our society over $45 billion in lost productivity, medical care, property damage and other direct expenditures annually.

The Costs Of DUI In California?

If you have been arrested for DUI in California, you are in all probability realizing that the toll of a DUI arrest is measurable, emotionally and moneywise. The shame of being arrested for DUI, of having to appear in criminal court, of dealing with the DMV AKA Department of Motor Vehicles, the embarrassment of having to tell your family, maybe even your supervisor. The emotional and mental costs of a DUI arrest in California are distinct for each person, but when it comes to the financial burden, it's standardized for everyone who has been arrested and charged with DUI/DWI in California.

Even if you don't fight California DUI charges against you, your cash in hand will still suffer. The initial costs of a DUI in California are the tickets, punishments and other varying charges. You will also be wanted to do the sheriff's alternative program. You may also have to pay a fee to choose, within certain limit points, when you serve your jail time so that it is the least turbulent to your life. There is also a program fee for registration in the DUI alcohol and drug school. You also have to pay the license reinstatement fee at the DMV.

That's not all. You may also have to pay for an ignition interlock device installed in your automobile if the judge decides that it is necessary. An ignition interlock device is essentially a breathalyzer that is put in the steering column of your car. Unless it shows that your blood alcohol content (BAC) is below a certain level, the automobile will not start. Once your car engine is running, you have to retest every fifteen minutes to one hour.

It also costs money when your license is taken from you when you are arrested. You will have a temporary license, which still permits you to legally drive a motor vehicle.

There is also a "hard suspension" which means you cannot legally drive. If you are like most people, you will probably still need to get around, whether it is to and from work, your children's school, the grocery store, and so on. You will not have to pay for gas, but public transportation is rarely free. If your license is ultimately suspended by the DMV, you can apply for a temporary drivers license, but there are fees to pay there too. If you continue to drive while your license is suspended, you may be subject to additional criminal charges and all the costs involved.

Another price will be your automobile insurance rates. After the DMV suspends your license, you will need to have a certain kind of car insurance for three years before you can get your license back. If you can find a car insurance company that provides it, this type of auto insurance policy is usually more expensive. Because this kind of insurance is a tell-tale sign of a DUI, some insurance companies will refuse to insure you in the future after having a DUI conviction in California.


 

Thursday, November 6, 2008

DUI Arrest In Arizona, What Is Going To Happen?

I got arrested for a Arizona DUI charge.  What is going to happen next?

First Issue:  The Implied Consent Civil Proceeding:  The most pressing matter may be requesting an appeal / hearing of your implied consent suspension.  Your Arizona driver license (or your right to drive a vehicle in Arizona if you're not a Arizona license driver) was most likely suspended for anywhere from 90 days to two years for failing (.08 BAC or higher (lower for minors or if driving a commercial vehicle)) or refusing a breath test.  Read your paperwork carefully.  You have only a short time (generally 15 days) to request a hearing to challenge your suspension.

ISSUE TWO:  The Criminal Case:  Isolated from the implied consent suspension is the criminal charge.  You were in all probability stopped / cited for one form of driving under the influence (DUI).  In Arizona it is illegal to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of alcohol and drugs just like in any other state of the US.  The crime of DUI is committed if a person operates a motor vehicle with a BAC of 0.08 percent or above and also has been in physical possession of a vehicle within two hours.

If your BAC was 0.15 percent or higher than that, you were most likely caught for what's called Extreme DUI.  If you had a kid in the vehicle under fifteen years of age or if you had certain case of prior DUI convictions, you may be looking at a felony offense which is called Aggravated DUI. 

Each one of such charges is super serious and will result in potential fine, jail, prison, and driver license suspension or revocation.  Make sure you do not overlook any court appearing otherwise a warrant will for certain be issued for your arrest. 

Important Facts:  The implied consent court proceedings and the criminal case appearances are completely separate from each other. 

Will my driver privileges be suspended or revoked?

Your Arizona driver's license or your privilege to drive a motor vehicle in Arizona may be suspended for failing BAC .08% or higher or even lower for persons under twenty one years old a breath or blood test results or for refusing a breath alcohol test, or blood alcohol screening out.  If you act quickly (typically within 15 days of your arrest), you can ask for an appeal of the projected implied consent suspension by the MVD for failure or refusal of DUI chemical screening test.  A court hearing will be set to hear your request for an appeal. 

DUI or DWI conviction or a DUI conviction for drunk driving with a Child Passenger charge, you will technically lose your driver license and driving privileges or your privileges to operate a motor vehicle in Arizona. These suspensions last anywhere from one hundred and eighty days to two years.  Talk to your Arizona DUI lawyer for viable suspension lengths in your specific situation.

Bear in mind that your driver's license can be suspended other reasons as well of those including your failure to pay child support.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

What Devices Are Used In Field Breath Test?

A national effort to FORCE citizens to submit to field sobriety screening tests will be evident over the next decade. One primary focus will be to mandate roadside screening with portable alcohol screening devices. Manufacturers are presently making more portable devices for this purpose, including devices that print out a written score or result. Two of such devices are depicted below.

Intoximeter Alco-Sensor IV XL


Intoximeter Alco-Sensor IV XL

Draeger Alcotest 7410 Plus DOT


Draeger Alcotest 7410 Plus DOT

Sunday, October 19, 2008

DUI Charges, What Is Going To Happen In Court?

When you get pulled over while driving drunk, after performing a sobriety test you are given a breathalyzer test. If you show BAC (blood alcohol level) above the standard limits you get a police report that states that you will be charged with DUI. So, what’s going to happen in court?

When you go to court for your DUI hearing, it is best to have a DUI attorney present with you who can advocate on your behalf. An experienced DUI lawyer will know how to get the lest possible sentence in your case. You may avoid being charged with DUI altogether if you have a good attorney and if your DUI attorney can prove that you were not above the legal limit when you were caught driving.

DUI
If you are still charged with DUI, you will usually get the following penalties: a fine, time in jail AKA sheriff’s alternative program, and or community service. You will most likely be put on a three-year probation, which is not required in California. A three year DUI probation means you can’t have any blood alcohol level when you drive for the next three years. That means, no one beer two hours before, no “I had a couple of drinks four hours ago.” If you are drinking after work and get a cab home, and are still hangover in the morning when you attempt to drive, if you get pulled over you will go to jail. Even if your BAC is 0.01 you will still go to jail.

The states that take DUI the most serious are Arizona, California and some other. If you are caught driving drunk in Arizona, you must get an Arizona DUI lawyer. If you don’t, you will be very sorry, as Arizona DUI laws are the strictest.

See Also: DUI, Arizona DUI, Arizona DUI attorney, Arizona DUI Lawyer

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

What Are The Penalties For DUI?

A driver arrested for drunk driving will face criminal charges in court as well as a potential license suspension by the DMV. Typically a district attorney’s office will file a complaint charging two counts for the same DUI: the “a count” alleges driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug, while the “b count” alleges driving with 0.08% blood alcohol content or higher. The first, second, and third offenses within ten years are charged as misdemeanors, though a fourth offense can be charged as a felony. The DUI can also be charged as a felony if the case involves an accident with injury. In some cases a DUI can be reduced to a “wet reckless” or even an infraction.

The standard punishment for a first offense is 48 hours jail (usually served in a work program), three years probation (five years in the City of Alameda and Napa), fines and fees totaling over $1,700, and completion of a driver safety program. For subsequent convictions within ten years the court is required to increase the jail sentence and length of the program, and frequently will order longer periods of probation and installation of an ignition interlock device in any vehicle operated by the defendant.

A wet reckless normally involves no jail time, a probation period lasting one or two years, fines and fees several hundred dollars lower than for a DUI, and possibly a shorter, twelve hour class.

A driver arrested for drunk driving must request an Administrative Per Se hearing (“APS hearing”) with the DMV within ten days of the arrest or his or her license will be suspended in most cases. At the hearing the driver’s counsel can challenge the DMV’s proof that the law enforcement officer had reasonable cause to stop the driver; that the law enforcement officer had probable cause to arrest the driver for a drunk driving violation; and that the driver had 0.08% blood alcohol content or higher (or that the driver refused to perform a chemical test).

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Reasons a Driver's License Can Be Suspended Or Revoked?

What are the reasons a driver's license can be revoked?

Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege. When a driver behaves recklessly, the state issuing a driver’s license will not think twice to suspend of revoke it. A state issuing a driver’s license to a driver can temporarily suspend driving privileges for various reasons. Reasons for driver’s license suspension can include:

DUI arrest and conviction, in which case a driver is caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is the top cause for a driver’s license suspension. Additional reasons a driver’s license may be suspended in the event of:

- Refusal to take a blood-alcohol test
- Driving without valid insurance
- Speeding ticket
- Reckless driving
- Hit and run - leaving the scene of an injury accident
- Failing to pay a driving-related fine
- Failing to answer a traffic summons, or
- Failure to file an accident report.

In many states a driver’s license can be suspended for traffic violations. In this case states use points that keep track of a driver's moving violations. Every moving violation a driver is assigned a certain number of points. If a driver accumulates too many points on a driving record, in addition to his car insurance rate premium increase, within a given period of time, the department of motor vehicles will suspends his license.

If a driver has too many moving violations, a DUI, the state issuing a driver’s license may revoke a driver’s license. In this event, a driver with revoked driver’s license has to wait a certain period of time to re-apply for a new driver’s license and pass certain tests in addition to paying the fee.

Additionally, some states, California in particular will revoke and refuse to issue a new driver’s license to parents in child support arrears.

Driving on a suspended or revoked license is a crime. If a driver with a revoked or suspended driver’s license is caught behind the wheel, such driver will most likely get a jail time and will have to pay heavy fines. If the driver’s license suspension was due to a drunk driving violation – DUI or DWI, the penalties will be the heaviest. Remember Paris Hilton? Having the best DUI and criminal attorneys cannot guarantee that your driver's license suspension will be prevented. However, it is possible to reduce your sentence due to a DUI with having a good DUI attorney. Particularly, in you are in Arizona, you will definitely need an Arizona DUI attorney who is experienced in the Arizona DUI laws.

Regulations To Reduce Car Accidents

The new California law says that as of July 1, 2008 drivers are not allowed to talk on the telephone while driving. This measure will hopefully prevent the number of car accidents on California roads. Recently, a Chicago politician Edward M. Burke proposed a law on drivers who use text messaging or surf the Internet while operating a motor vehicle in order to reduce car accidents in Chicago. CBS 2 Chicago reports that the ban would fine motorists who take their hands off the wheel to text $75, or $200 if an accident resulted.

In his commentary, Burke dais, "It's time for us to revisit the issue. It's as much a part of educating the public as anything else." He stated that it is important to let people know that driving and texting creates a significant hazard on the road. Hopefully the proposed regulation will reduce the number of car accidents. Studies by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration imply that driving distractions trigger close to 80 percent of the nation's car accidents. If the latest proposal passes, Burke said, he may go after other forms of distracted driving such as ticketing pedestrians, an increasing number of whom are landing in emergency rooms for injuries suffered sending texts while crossing the street.

DUI Lawyers in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles

Car accident due to DUI will require an accident lawyer. When searching for a car accident lawyer, it is best to ask around and get references from your friends and relatives who may know a good accident lawyer. A good car accident attorney can save you a lot of headache especially if your car accident occurred as a result of drunk driving. When you are at fault, it is best to seek a good DUI lawyer in your area who specializes in DUI cases. My DUI attorney who went to court for me was a personal friend. Lucky me, I did not have a car accident, otherwise, I’d have a lot of work for my attorney. In fact, I also got lucky because my DUI attorney was a personal injury attorney at the same time. In fact, he recently won a wrongful death case, so my personal injury attorney assuming a DUI attorney’s position in my case is also a wrongful death attorney.

If you live in a big city, such as Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles, chances are you know someone who knows an accident attorney, has a personal reference to a car accident attorney, or a DUI attorney. DUI attorney is your council who represents you in criminal court, so DUI is considered a criminal offence and thus you will need a criminal attorney AKA criminal defense attorney. In Los Angeles the number of DUI offences is great. Los Angeles is a big city with lots of drivers. You can’t get around without driving. There is rarely any public transit in Los Angeles, and thus DUI offences in Los Angeles are frequent. Los Angeles DUI attorneys are not cheap but are well worth the money. In fact, Los Angeles lawyers are some of the highest paid lawyers in the country. So, if you are out of luck and are caught driving drunk on the public road in LA, be prepared to pay the top dollar for your DUI criminal defense.

Friday, October 3, 2008

How To Dismiss Your DUI Charges In Phoenix, Arizona

Drunk drivers arrested for DUI in Arizona need to know that Arizona is one of the toughest state to avoid or reduce a sentence for a DUI offence. For DUI offenders in Arizona the drunk driving laws has become very strict. Recently the new Arizona DUI laws have been in effect. The new DUI law says that a driver found operating a motor vehicle with BAC of 0.150 and higher must serve thirty consecutive days of jail time, no exception.

If you have been caught driving under the influence in the state of Arizona, you will need an Arizona DUI lawyer, who knows the state laws and who specializes in drunk driving cases.

First thing to remember if you get pulled over and the police officer suspects that you have blood alcohol level exceeding the limit, after you have taken a field sobriety test and a breath test, you may want to obtain an independent test for blood alcohol level at a hospital. The testing device used for blood alcohol level testing in Arizona is the Intoxilyzer 5000 machine. It is highly inaccurate. Thus if you have been arrested for DUI in Arizona and the breath test shows that your blood alcohol level is higher than norm, get a second opinion from an independent hospital. The results of a test will help your DUI lawyer fight for you in the court.

Remember, that Arizona has very strict law when it comes to DUI and a reading error in your breath test result can impact your sentence.

When you have the results of your blood alcohol level from the hospital, call your DUI attorney in the state of Arizona and make the records available to him. Unless you fight for your rights and hire a knowledgeable Arizona DUI attorney, you will be sentenced for thirty days in jail even if the result of your breath blood alcohol test was an error.

Personal Injury Lawyer Wins $3M Lawsuit

A personal injury attorney specializing in malpractice wins a lawsuit alleging the county in not properly maintaining a tree that fell on a car killing a mother of a seven year old. This case reminds me on a car incident that I have personally undergone through. I was driving on a public road in the bad weather with my daughter in the vehicle when a tree fell on my company van. We sustained no personal injury but the vehicle sustained damage. There was a dent on the roof, a crack in the windshield and the passenger side mirror fell off completely and was hanging on a single cord. The next day I took the vehicle to a body repair shop and the company insurance estimator was expected to come in shortly to estimate the damage on the vehicle.

Next thing I know, an insurance company rep called me to find out the details of the accident and the location. After determining that the tree that fell on my car was located on a public road, the insurance company rep asked me whether it was a county or city property. I had no idea how to answer that question. The insurance rep explained that the county was at fault for not properly maintaining the tree and that the insurance carrier was going to file a lawsuit on said allegations.

Here is a video where a personal injury lawyer talks about the laws related to a similar accident in my area.

Car Insurance Estimates For DUI Offenders and Bad Driving Record

Cheaper car insurance is a big saver for a DUI offender. DUI conviction can significantly increase car insurance rates. If a driver convicted of a DUI offence has had bad driving record and a track record of previous car accidents, whether a legal action was initiated and a DUI lawyer was involved or not, car insurance costs can be significant. However, it is still possible to qualify with cheap car insurance companies that can offer the insured a discount car insurance.

When you have been convicted of a DUI offence it is always advisable to switch to a different car insurance carrier. You can shop car insurance rates online and get car insurance quotes online from a variety of car insurance companies. Instant car insurance rates are available online once you have completed a form provided by a car insurance company. Of course, when a driver is facing DUI charges, he needs morethan car insurance. There are always other penalties involved, such as a fine, a potential of community service hours imposed on a DUI offender, a sheriff’s alternative program and driver license suspension. However, car insurance rates increase is a significant penalty of a DUI offence on its own and a DUI offender needs an experienced DUI lawyer to lessen the penalties. But at the same time, inexpensive car insurance can be a big saver and if you shop car insurance quotes on line, you can find the cheapest car insurance rates that will yield you huge savings on your car insurance premiums over time.

Many car insurance companies nowadays offer online car insurance quotes, whereas you can get instant car insurance online. Car insurance prices will vary significantly across different car insurance carriers and depending on your state, location, your car loan balance and your previous driving record, you can get car insurance rates that are much far apart. To find the cheapest car insurance, just do a search for “car insurance estimates”, “car insurance quotes”, or “car insurance quotation” on line and compare car insurance prices across different companies. When you have decided on a car insurance carries, you will be able to speak with a car insurance specialist on the telephone before getting car insurance coverage that suits you. There are different options you can choose from within one car insurance company and the car insurance prices will depend on the type of coverage you chose. When you speak with a car insurance agent on the phone, ask him how you can lower your car insurance payments or premium. The car insurance agent may advise you a few options that will help you chose the cheapest car insurance available in your situation.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Drunk Driving On a First Date; DUI Doesn’t Get You Laid

My DUI program required watching videos about drunk driving, drunk drivers and real people telling real stories about their drunk driving experiences. I remember a sweet young woman at the hospital telling the reporter the story about how she ended up at the hospital.

She was out on a first date. She and her date were at a bar where they had a couple of drinks. After all it was a Friday night and neither had to go to work the next day. After the bar they decided to go to a dance club. They danced and drank late into the night and as the club closed its doors they proceeded to the parking lot. She insisted on taking a cab, but her date convinced her that he wasn’t that drunk and since her house was only a few miles down the street, he would be ok to drive.

The young couple was just a few blocks away as the car approached an intersection on high speed. The driver was in a hurry to get back to the woman’s house in the hopes that his drunk buzzed date would let him stay overnight. Driving over the speed limit he crossed the intersection on red and crushed into a UHAUL truck. Both, the driver and the passenger ended up at the hospital instead of the girl’s house. Don’t drink and drive and watch this short funny drunk driving on a date video.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Heather Locklear drunk driving arrest

DUI stories seems to be a favorite topic amongst those who love to gossip about the glamorous life of celebrities. Associated Press reported last week of another DUI incident this time involving Heather Locklear. The actress was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Santa Barbara, an affluent urban S.CA town. As she was leaving a parking lot she was driving odd, erratically stepping on the gas pedal. At the time the arresting police officer noted her car, it was parked on a side of the freeway blocking the road, which triggered the suspicion of the police officer. The actress got out of her car and Heather Locklear drunk driving arreststumbled into traffic in the middle of the freeway.

The police officer did not recognize the celebrity. He suspected that the female driver was under the influence and took her to the police station where she underwent alcohol and drug test. She was suspected to be under the influence of prescription medications and was booked accordingly.

Luckily there was no accidents and no property damage or injuries have been sustained as a result of the famous actress’ reckless behavior.

According to an unnamed resource Heather Locklear was treated earlier this year in a clinic providing medical services to patients suffering from anxiety and depression.

The photo provided by the arresting authority suggests that the actress must have had one too many drinks even before she got in the driver seat of her car. Smeared mascara and messy heir, as well as a strange stare in her eyes is the evidence of severe intoxication.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

How To Stop Your Driver’s License Suspension Due To DUI

Driver’s License suspension is revocation of driving privileges for a specific period of time. Driver’s License suspension is decided at the administrative hearing before the DMV hearing officer. Driver’s License suspension is a separate procedure from the criminal court hearing and is not related to what happens in the criminal department of the court.

If you have been caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you are facing potential Driver License suspension for at least thirty days in CA. After thirty days you can apply for reinstatement of your driver’s license and get a restricted driver’s license that will allow you to drive to and from work, or in the course and scope of employment, and to and from a treatment program, which includes drunk driver school program and AA meetings if you are required to attend them. You can remove the restriction on your drivers license once you have successfully completed the DUI program, or have graduated from the DUI program as they say, and have fully paid for the cost of the DUI school.

Now, is there a away to stop your driver’s license suspension? Yes, there is. It is best to go to an administrative DMV hearing with a lawyer specializing in DUI defense. Usually the DUI lawyer knows the hearing officer and knows how he or she hears cases and decides on driver’s license suspension. Your DUI lawyer will know how to present your case to ensure the highest chance of you keeping your license. When you hire a DUI lawyer, your DUI attorney will usually charge you a flat fee, which could differ depending on the area of your residence. In my area in N.CA it is somewhere around $2,500. The money is payable upfront and includes defense in front of the judge in criminal court, whereas the judge will decide on your criminal sentence, the fine and or community service, the mandatory DUI school attendance and the duration of the DUI class, which will usually depend on whether it is a first or second offence, possible treatment programs, interlock device installation, sheriff’s alternative program (picking up garbage on the freeway), and any other penalties; as well as the appearing with the DUI offender at the administrative DMV hearing in front of the hearing officer.

A smart and experienced DUI attorney will try to postpone your hearing (request a continuance) so that you can have an administrative hearing before you are convicted for the criminal DUI offence. That way the hearing officer does not have substantial evidence of your DUI and may have doubts whether you really were under the influence when you got in your car and started driving. There is a slight chance that you may keep your driving privileges even if you are later convicted for DUI in court.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Drunk Driver Finally Gets Caught and Prosecuted for DUI Offence

DUI story sent by my reader and published in Second Time DUI Offender reminded me of another DUI story that happened to my roommate a few years back and prompted me to rehash it here.

I once had a roommate who drove drunk all the time. When she came home late into the night I was asleep. Some days she asked me to come out and check out her car. She’d say, “Can you please look at my car? I am scared to look at it.” Sure enough, there were some dents but nothing major. I was always worried that she’d get drunk and kill someone. Deep down I was hoping that she’d get busted and could not drive any more. Drivers like her are a big danger of the road, especially at night, when there aren’t many cars on the road and the driver is not restricted by the speed of traffic and can drive as fast as she wants to.

One night she went out drinking again, just like she always did. She came home late and crawled into her bedroom. The following morning I didn’t see her car in the driveway when I went to work. When I came back she told me the car was impounded. The story was that she went to a bar in Walnut Creek and on the way home was speeding trying to get home as fast as she could. Just about a mile away from the apartment building we were living in she ran a red light and crushed into a car that was crossing the intersection. It was a pick up truck that she crushed into and her car was a sedan. The truck wasn’t severely damaged, but her car was smashed. She hit the steering wheel and her rib cage was injured. Not enough to warrant hospitalization though. The front of the car was totaled and she couldn’t drive. Otherwise, she said, she’d drive away scared of the consequences.

The pick up truck stopped at the time of the crash and the driver and his passenger helped my roommate out. They called 911. The police arrived shortly, impounded my roommate’s smashed vehicle and performed field sobriety test on my roommate which she naturally failed.

When she returned home she had no car, and no ability to drive to work. On top of that she was in pain from the sustained injury. Luckily she was the only one who sustained any sort of personal injury. Otherwise she would have been guilty and sustained criminal charges as well as civil penalties for personal injury.

Second Time DUI Offender Loses Driver’s License In Two States

This True DUI Story is my DUI Blog’s reader’s contribution.

Although it’s all long out of my system, when I was young I was what people called WILD! I was never malicious, but always pushed the envelope. I was hooked on adrenalin and loved the rush it gave. I was also a bit of a rebel. I did a lot of wild and crazy things and got away with most all of them. There were however a few I didn’t get away with and was penalized harshly to make up for all the things I did get away with.

As you read the saga please know that I take full responsibility and know full well all of this is my own fault. I take ownership of the situations and the consequences. I do not mean to minimize my blame in any of this. But here is the story. Real and true.


At 18 my license was revoked for DUI. I didn’t get pulled over for poor driving but had the smell on my breath and when I took the breathalyzer I failed. I also had a host of other charges against me for speeding, fleeing and eluding, etc. from other infractions. I made a deal and plead guilty and was supposed to join the Navy. My Drivers license was revoked as part of the deal.


Well I never joined the Navy and years later when I attempted to get my Drivers License back they gave me a hard time because of it. They only granted restricted privileges to allow me to drive to and from work and said If I did ok for that 1st year they would re-instate full privileges.

Well a year later I went back for my new re-instatement hearing and again was only offered a restricted permit. I appealed the hearing officer’s decision and again was denied. I appealed to the State Capitol and was again denied. What’s a guy to do? Remember the rebel thing??? (lol) Who said you can’t sue city hall! Well I did and I won. I sued the Secretary of State of Illinois in a Civil Court and beat him badly. It set a president in the state and they had no sense of humor about it what so ever.

Well they say some people never learn. A few years later I was the driver and a fight broke out leaving a nightclub we were at. My passenger/Boarder beat this guy up in the parking lot and we left. I guess you can guess the rest. When I got home the police were waiting across the street from my house. They pulled in the driveway behind me and wanted to know what happened at the nightclub. I refused to say a word and when they would not let me go inside I said unless I am under arrest I ask you to leave my property. They had no warrant to be there so I was arrested and again was charged with DUI. They were very nice and apologized to me as they were only there to arrest my roommate but as they had no warrant, they needed a reason to be there if I wouldn’t grant permission. I said OK you can be here! (lol) It was too late. I again cut a deal and took a 2 year supervision with no loss of privileges and would have been removed from my record as long as I stayed out of trouble. Easier for some people than others. (lol) Well being a slow learner only when it came to that, a year and a half later I was pulled over for my tires chirping as I pulled away from a traffic light. I was just about to drive away after being let go by the officer who pulled me over when his watch commander pulled up. Wasn’t it my luck I had had a run in with him before. I was asked to wait a moment. The 2 police officers had a discussion and back out of the car I was summoned. This time for a sobriety test. I took it and passed. The officer again told me to have a nice evening. This time the watch commander himself came up to me and Literally pulled me out handcuffed me and told me I was being arrested for suspicion of DUI and taken to the Police Station for a breathalyzer. I called my attorney was instructed not to take the test as I had had a few beers after work and was on my way home.

Well I was on supervision for a DUI but was sure to beat this one in a jury trial. The Judge who handled my violation of supervision decided I should finally pay a penalty and learn my lesson. She wanted me to do jail time for violation of court supervision and would not allow a continuance until I could resolve the new charges. I would have walked away Scott free of all charges and she knew it. I was able to get one continuance but was told when I returned to court to have my affairs in order and bring my tooth brush with me. That I would be sentenced to the maximum penalty for violation of supervision which was 6 months. My Attorney said I would be out in 30 days. Well besides not wanting to sit in a cell for 30 days I owned a home. Had a mortgage. Ran a business, etc. I could not do 30 days. We cut a deal with the States Attorney and the Judge for the new DUI charges. I pled guilty, Paid a $500.00 fine had to do 80 hours community service, attend an out-patient drug and alcohol rehab program (always required by the State of Illinois) and my license was again revoked and also put on a 1 year conditional discharge. Meaning as long as I did everything they asked within the year, no jail. (the treatment is a requirement. Everyone has to go thru it, not that it was assigned just in my case) I did my community service, paid the fines, went thru all their hoops including the program that was assigned etc. A Year later I went back to court and all was over except my license was still revoked. Years later I moved to Florida and was told that Florida would be happy to re-instate my driving privileges. However IL had a hold on my License. All I had to do is call them and have the hold lifted. I called and was told that the laws had once more changed and now I had to go thru a re-instatement hearing back in IL for them to release the hold. Basically I had to convince IL to give me my full driver’s privileges back. The very same thing I had to sue them in a civil court for years ago. Pre requisites for the hearing even being granted are proof and documentation showing abstinence from all alcohol and or drugs for a period of at least 1 year preferably 2, be involved in a program like AA for at least 1 year and working a 12 step program with documented results, and a bunch of other hoops too I wont even mention.

Then when the hearing is granted, fly back up to Chicago, hire an Attorney and have a hearing which I have no remote hope of a favorable outcome except again to be granted restricted privileges to go to and from work. I don’t need a license to get to and from work. It’s not worth the $10k or so it would all cost only to obtain something I really don’t need and I would also have to lie and present false documents as I am not abstinent from alcohol or in AA or working a 10 step program. I hate to lie and will not let them make me for such a trivial gain.

How To Reinstate Driver License After DUI Conviction And Suspension

When a driver charged and convicted with DUI, a driver’s license can be reinstated according to the specific timelines specified in your DMV paperwork. Keep in mind that a criminal DUI conviction, a felony or a misdemeanor is a separate conviction that is not related to the suspension of your driver’s license. The entity issuing suspension on your driving privileges is the Department of Motor Vehicles, while the entity penalizing you for the criminal DUI offence is the criminal division of the court. With that said, some drivers get to keep their driver’s license and avoid the suspension completely while still being charged with the criminal DUI offence.

The DMV administrative hearing is the one where a DUI offender appears in front of a hearing officer for the DMV, who will decide on the license suspension, in other words, the suspension of the driving privileges. If the hearing officer for the DMV (not the judge in the criminal division of the county court) decides that the offense warrants a suspension, a Driver’s License suspension will be placed for a specific amount of time.

In California first time DUI offenders usually get at least thirty day driver license suspension. Upon the expiration of the suspension, a driver charged with a DUI can apply for reinstatement of the driver license contingent upon enrolment in a drunk driver program (DUI school), and obtaining an SR-22 form from the insurance carrier. SR-22 is a form that your car insurance carrier will file (by fax or online) and that the DMV has access to. In many cases, your insurance premium will go up considerably once you inform your insurance carrier about your DUI offence. It is advisable to seek quotes from different insurance companies, because the one you currently have may require you to pay outrageous increase in your insurance rates.

The savings from switching to a different insurance carrier can be substantial. For instance, I was paying around $160 for my monthly insurance premium with Nationwide Insurance before my DUI. I went to Farmer’s to get a quote and they quoted me over $400/mo. The Farmer’s agent recommended that I seek insurance quotes some place else.

In my DUI class, there were some people who gave me referrals to local insurance brokerages, which reportedly specialized in high risk cases such as drunk drivers and insurance for DUI offenders. But after looking into Geico’s insurance rates I was able to find a plan for around $70-80/mo which was substantial savings compare to what I paid before my DUI for my Nationwide insurance premiums. I have to say, however, that in order to get that insurance rate I had to pay off my car loan all at once. So, if your car loan balance is low, pay it off. That way you will be able to save substantial amounts of money on your increasing insurance premiums.

New DUI Law In California

The new DUI law in California is that a DUI offender get a mandatory three-year probation. What that means to a DUI offender is that he or she cannot drive with any blood alcohol level. Even if you have one drink, you still cannot drive. In the event you are found driving with BAC of 0.01, you will be arrested and thrown to jail. That’s what they now call zero tolerance. No drinking and driving for three years.

So, what does it mean for those who have been caught with 0.08 BAC and charged with a DUI? In addition to DUI school of at least four months (they say it’s three, but it really is four months because of how the DUI school program is set up), fine or community service, and no drinking and driving at all for three years. How can you go out with your co-workers or have a date when you can’t have any alcohol? For many it’s going to be a challenge, but there are also ways to work around it, such as taking public transportation if you live in an area where you can easily get around by using public transit, or taking a cab is another option for convicted DUI offenders.