Blood Alcohol Level Estimates
The Drink Wheel
On-Line BAC Calculator
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.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Lemon Law Attorneys – how to find a lemon law attorney in your city and state
If you are asking this question, where can I find a lemon law attorney, you must have found yourself in a situation with a lemon car, in other words a car that falls under the classification of lemon law. If you are looking for a lemon law attorney read this article very carefully as it explains very important things you need to know and pay attention to when selecting the right lemon law attorney to save you money and ensure the best possible outcome of your lemon car care.
If you find that you just might require a lawyer to handle your lemon car case, there are some things that you need to take into consideration first. For starters, you will want to get a good consultation that will determine what type of lemon case that you have. From here, you can follow the tips below to help you to find the right lawyer to handle your case.
EXPERIENCE
You should make sure that the firm or lawyer that you choose to hire has experience in handling your specific type of case. The law has become very specialized in lemon cases and you will need a law firm that is not new to this area because they may not know the most effective way to achieve the best results for you. However, you should be wary of any law firms which use the term experts or specialists because they are not legally allowed to use the term.
NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS
You should also ask how many lawyers in that firms are not only licensed in your state, but how many of those lawyers can actually handle your lemon law or other type of case. Just like in any other type of company, people leave for different jobs and people get sick. Because your case may take many months to resolve, you want to be sure there is another attorney in the firm who can take over if your own lawyer. Cannot continue for any reason.
ATTENTION
You should also want to make sure that you can meet your attorney before he or she represents you. Just like a doctor, a lawyer is a professional that you trust a very important part of your life to. Because of this, you should be wary of any firm which will not allow you to meet your attorney or those who give you the run-around. You should always know what is going on in your case.
LOCATION
You should also make sure that your lawyer is at least located in the same State where you will be having your case. In general, lawyers must be licensed in the State in which they are doing their legal work in order to practice. If the lawyer is not located in your state, he/she may have problems effectively representing your interests.
If your lawyer is forced to travel great distances to appear on your behalf, or if he/she is hiring someone else to make any court appearances on their behalf, you should question whether this will influence his/her judgment when he/she confers with you about any offers of settlement made by the opposing side.
REPUTATION
Believe it or not, a lawyer’s reputation is one of the best ways that you can use to make a decision. How other lawyers feel about his/her performance and how clients feel will give you a good Idea on what that lawyer can do for you. Most lawyers will freely and willingly give you information about their reputation if asked and some will even provide you with proof of their track records if you request it. Even if you know someone who has had to deal with a lemon case, you can ask them how their lawyer was with them. All of these things can help you in choosing your next lawyer.
COST
It doesn’t matter if you are hoping to get some of your attorney’s fees returned to you in your case because not all states lemon laws cover this. If your state doesn’t; or even it does, you will still want to be sure that the cost of the lawyer is affordable to you because there is no guarantee that you will win your case once it gets to court. You need to be sure that you can afford the lawyer that you get. Since many require a retainer, it is best to ask about this upfront. For those that do not, know that they will take their cut from your awarded allotment at the end.
These are the things that you need to think about when you are choosing your lawyer. Here are some quick questions that you should ask your lawyer before hiring them or even considering them. Check for quick and concise answers and ask them to put all in writing.
1. How many cases like this have you handled before and what was the result of those cases?
2. What are the resources that you and/or your firm have at your disposal?
3. Are you going to try to settle out of court or do you push for court trial?
4. What are any and all of the upfront fees? If there are none, how much of the settlement do you take upon trial end?
5. What type of billing procedures does your firm require, and do I get a detailed report in writing?
6. If you will be itemizing the costs, can I get a detailed and itemized written report of the costs each week?
7. Do you have a working knowledge of lemon laws in my state?
These are just some of the questions that you should ask before hiring your lawyer. You want to be sure also that they can provide you with details on what you have that will make your case for you. You don’t want a lawyer that just wants to make a few bucks, you want proof that you have a case that you can win, otherwise, you will not only be stuck with a car you can’t use, but making payments to a lawyer as well.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Texting and Driving Law - Why You Must Never Text While Driving
Monday, June 22, 2009
DUI Advice. After DUI - How to Avoid a False DUI Breathalyzer Result
Let's say you had a drink or two but don't feel you are under the influence of alcohol. However, you are arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and offered the choice of taking a breath or blood test (or, in some states, urine). Most DUI suspects choose the breath test -- a choice which could doom your chances to prove your innocence. Consider the following advice when deciding which test to take:
1. If you smoke cigarettes, you may want to pass on that Breathalyzer mouthpiece the officer is handing you. Scientific research has shown that smoking can raise the test result considerably -- enough to get you charged and convicted of drunk driving. This is because most breath analyzing devices will falsely report acetaldehyde as alcohol. Acetaldehyde is a compound produced in the liver in small amounts as a by-product in the metabolism of alcohol. However, scientists have found acetaldehyde concentrations in the lungs of smokers are far greater than for non-smokers. ("Origin of Breath Acetaldehyde During Ethanol Oxidation: Effect of Long-Term Cigarette Smoking", 100 Journal of Laboratory Clinical Medicine 908). Translated: because breathalyzers can't tell the difference between alcohol and acetaldehyde, cigarette smokers will have a higher blood-alcohol reading.
2. If you are a diabetic with possible low blood sugar, you should also avoid the breath test. A well-documented by-product of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is a state called ketoacidosis, which causes the production of acetone -- and acetone, like acetaldehyde, will be reported by the Brethalyzer as alcohol. In other words, the Breathalyzer will read significant levels of alcohol on a diabetic's breath where there may be little or none. See "Diabetes, Breath Acetone and Breathalyzer Accuracy: A Case Study", 9(1) Alcohol, Drugs and Driving (1993). To make matters worse, the reactions of a person in the early stages of a diabetic attack include dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, weakness, loss of coordination and confusion -- the same symptoms which the patrol officer is looking for: the clear signs of a person under the influence of alcohol. And the officer's observations are quickly followed by a failing performance on DUI field sobriety tests.
3. Are you on a low-carb diet? Or had nothing to eat in quite awhile? Avoid the Breathalyzer in a DUI investigation -- for the same reasons stated in number 2. Perfectly normal, healthy individuals can experience temporary conditions of low blood sugar after consuming small amounts of alcohol, resulting in exaggerated but false symptoms of intoxication. Fasting glycemia can exist where a person has not eaten in 24 hours or has been on a low-carbohydrate diet. Production of glucose in the liver is stopped while the alcohol is broken down. Result: the blood sugar level will drop, affecting the central nervous system -- and producing symptoms of a person under the influence of alcohol and a higher breath test result.
4. If you have acid reflux or have burped or belched before taking the Breathalyzer, offer to provide a blood sample instead. The reason is that you will be breathing alcohol from your stomach into your throat and oral cavity, where it will stay for 20 minutes or so -- to be breathed directly into the breath machine. This is not a good thing. The machine's computer is multiplying the amount of alcohol in the breath sample by 2100 times to provide a reading of the alcohol in the blood. This is because it assumes the sample came from the lungs, not the stomach, and the average person has 2100 units of alcohol in his blood for every unit of alcohol in his breath (called the partition ratio). The Breathalyzer does not "know" that your breath sample is not from your lungs and that it should not multiply the alcohol level by anything. Result: false high readings -- and a DUI conviction.
5. When you see that officer in the rear-view mirror, don't reach for the mouthwash or breath spray to disguise the drink or two you've had. Most of them contain significant levels of alcohol (Listerine, for example is 27% alcohol) and create a mouth alcohol effect: they remain in the oral cavity for 20 minutes or so -- just long enough to be breathed into the Breathalyzer, with the same results mentioned in number 4. Some breath machines have a mouth alcohol detector, but these are highly unreliable
Monday, April 27, 2009
I Got Arrested For DUI; What To Do?
Dui is considered a felony depends in part on the level of harm caused by the drunk driver. Whether or not dui is classified as felony also depends on the number of prior offenses. â in general, first offenses that do not result in serious harm to another person are charged as misdemeanors. Assuming no one was hurt by the drunk driver, in many states a dui does not become a felony offense until the 4th dui arrest. Some states will raise dui to a felony on the 2nd or 3rd offense, so it's important to check your own state laws. If anyone was seriously injured or killed due a drunk driving incident, the driver will probably be charged with a felony. Examples of felony charges that drunk drivers may face include vehicular assault, vehicular manslaughter, and even vehicular homicide in some cases. Each of these crimes carries a hefty sentence, including stiff fines and time in state prison. Blood alcohol level may also play a role in whether dui is a felony. In many states,. 08 is the legal limit, and a limit of. 15 will often involve additional penalties. There is no legal limit for those under legal drinking age, since they should not drink at all.
Dui is a source of valuable information that can help you learn more about dui, but we realize that our information alone cannot help you win your case. No matter where you live in the united states, we have a network of sponsoring attorneys across the country that we can connect you with. Talk to a dui lawyer today!
What Happens After DUI Arrest In Georgia? Penalties for DUI/DWI
Dui is a very serious matter in georgia. A conviction on georgia dui charges can result in the loss of your license, the loss of your job and a jail sentence--even for a first time offense. For a comprehensive overview of georgia's dui law, written by. Howard jarrett weintraub, click here. If you have been arrested for dui in. Fulton, dekalb, cobb, or gwinnett.
Dui is so widely known by the public, what's senator steve's beef?. Well, rauschenberger seems to think that. Kj is trying to bully rauschy out of the race. By implying to others that kj has more stuff like the dui that could be distributed to rauscherberger's opponents who might then put it into the public domain. But again, if rauschenberger knows that kj has nothing, why worry? well, you know, if a steady stream of media folks will investigate and ask and ask, eventually it becomes similar to this statement: “. Ok, if you didn't beat your wife in 1990, how about in 1991? in 1992?. Worse, if the stuff continues to circulate among media members, bloggers and political activists under the radar screen without publication by the mainstream media, it still simmers and. Keeps the pot filled with boiling nasties. Rauschenberger unequivocally denied at the press conference, when i asked him, that he had any other duis out there. There have been whispers that such accusations have been whispered about steve by kj. , especially on the very day that jack ryan withdrew from the u. Senate race,. June 25, 2004,.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dismiss DUI Charges in Arizona - Is It Possible?
Whenever you are operating a motor vehicle, your primarily area of responsibility is safety: both yours and every other drivers’. If you have consumed any substance that impairs your awareness and reflexes, you are not being responsibly safe.
Let me say that again: you cannot be a safe driver if you are impaired by drugs or alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and a sedative, and it reduces your ability to think, your ability to see, and your ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances. Even small doses of alcohol like those you may receive in over-the-counter remedies can make you an unsafe driver.
Nearly half of all highway deaths in the USA are alcohol-related. (Read that again please.) For this reason, the law disallows anyone from consuming alcohol or even having an open container of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle.
In the state of Arizona, if you get caught driving drunk, you are going to face some of the most serious Driving Under the Influence and/or Driving While Intoxicated charges in the country. The penalties for getting convicted of these charges are severe.
Fighting a DUI or DWI charge is a series of actions, each of which will either positively or negatively affect your lawsuit. Let’s look at the most important of those actions, and review how to best set yourself up to fight a DWI charge in Arizona.
The first step of fighting a DWI/DUI criminal charge is to examine the legal issue ‘probable cause’. If the police officer pulled you over, there must have been something that made the officer decide to do that. That thing is referred to as the officers ‘probable cause’. This is the first element that can be fought in court. Often, a traffic violation or some other lawbreaking is required before the officer can pull you over.
If the officer believes that you are disabled enough to qualify for a DUI or DWI charge, s/he may decide to detain you until they have adequately investigated the offense. If this happens, and after investigating the officer determined that he has enough evidence or strong enough probable cause to make an arrest for DUI or DWI, the officer will arrest you and take you in for further chemical testing.
The primary form of chemical testing used in Arizona is the breathalyzer. That said, you are not expect or required to take the breathalyzer test.
If you take the test, and you have a measured blood-alcohol content of .08% or more, you may find that your Arizona driver’s license gets suspended, and you lose the privilege of driving in the state of Arizona for the next 180 to 730 days. It’s best to speak with a DUI attorney about ‘practicable suspension lengths’ specific to your DWI conviction.
On the other hand, refusing a breathalyzer test will result in the automatic suspension and confiscation of your license. The officers will give you a temporary (paper) license, which will be good for thirty to forty-five days depending on which state you live in.
Your DUI/DWI case can be won if you play these opening scenes wisely – but you will need an attorney familiar with Arizona’s DUI laws to see if your case can be won in court. Talk to one today.
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
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?
Intoximeter Alco-Sensor IV XL

Draeger Alcotest 7410 Plus DOT
Sunday, October 19, 2008
DUI Charges, What Is 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.

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.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
What Are The Penalties For DUI?
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
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.