Archive for January, 2009

andy taylor asked:


Types of DUI:There have been many attempts to find advance indicators of who will drive when impaired by alcohol. The most well-established predictor is prior driving under the influence (DUI) arrests. Also, people who injure others or who have been injured after drinking will have more DUI convictions (Buntain-Ricklefs et al., 1995). Those with more total moving violations and more prior convictions of all kinds have more repeat DUI offenses (Peck et al., 1994). Those who refuse blood alcohol concentration (BAC) tests or have higher BAC test results also have more DUI offenses (Marowitz, 1998). The alcohol ignition interlock is a device installed on the cars of some DUI offenders that requires a low-alcohol or alcohol-free breath sample before the ignition unlocks and allows an engine to be started. Studies in the United States and Canada have shown that the interlock reduces DUI (Beck et al., 1999; Coben and Larkin, 1999; Marques et al., 2001a; Voas et al., 1999). The interlock has also been reported to be a good predictor of DUI risk (Marques et al., 2001b). The BAC lock point for the interlock is stipulated in state or provincial law. Typical lock points range between .02% and .04%. The U.S. national guidelines (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], 1992) recommend .025%; Alberta Canada uses .04%. The interlock’s recorder logs the time and result of all breath tests. The early months of interlock BAC tests predict repeat DUI offenses years later, after the interlock has been removed (Marques et al., 1999, 2001 b). A variety of DUI predictors have been studied, but, unless these are available to court or licensing authorities, they have little practical value. For example, information about drinking patterns has been shown to be predictive of DUI risk, but motor vehicle or court authorities tasked with imposing sanctions do not usually have access to this type of information. For new knowledge to usefully inform policy and lead to lower public risk exposure, it should be accessible to those who decide whether to reinstate driver’s license privileges or continue with sanctions that restrict those privileges. Personal history, adverse drinking consequences, family history of drinking, places of drinking and types of preferred beverages help researchers understand the characteristics of repeat DUI offenders but cannot sharpen sentencing decisions if this information is not in a driver’s file. Unlike some of our earlier work, all data reported here are available to sanctioning authorities in jurisdictions where the alcohol ignition interlock is in use. Alcohol is a factor in 43% of all crash costs (Miller et al., 2002), but alcohol-impaired drivers are hard to detect. Accordingly, a DUI arrest is a low-likelihood outcome relative to the prevalence of drunken driving.

The Penalties of DUI Accidents: Driving under the influence can mean driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both types of substances. No matter what type of substance is used in an offense, driving under the influence can cause serious injuries and property damage. In most states, DUI (or DWI as it is called in some states) is a misdemeanor charge. But, this can change if aggravating factors are present or if you’ve had multiple convictions within a specific time period. Aggravating factors can include injuries or property damage caused by DUI accidents, having a child in the vehicle while the offense is being committed, or having a blood alcohol level that is considered extremely high. Being knowledgeable about the consequences of DUI accidents can help you to better understand DUI law and perhaps help you avoid serious criminal charges.

How to choose a DUI Attorney?Before you hire a DUI lawyer, or any other type of lawyer, meet with him or her first. Most lawyers will not charge you to meet with them while you’re looking for someone to handle your case. Having a face to face meeting with your lawyer before hiring him or her is good for both the client and the attorney. You’ll want to hire someone you feel comfortable working with. A face to face meeting helps you determine whether or not you feel comfortable. It also helps the lawyer decide if he or she feels comfortable working with you and wants to take on your case. Before going to any consultations with lawyers (and you should consult with at least two lawyers before making a decision) do some research. The yellow pages is a good place to look for a lawyer but remember that the DUI lawyer with the biggest ad is not necessarily the best lawyer for you to hire. He or she is just the person with the biggest ad. You want a lawyer with DUI expertise and experience. The library is another good place to do research. Your local library should have a copy of the Martindale Hubbell law directory. The directory does its best to list every lawyer in the United States along with his or her area(s) of speciality. You can search the directory by either location or area of law each lawyer deals with. The directory is also available online. People you know can also be a good source of information regarding a good lawyer. Create a list of questions you want to ask each lawyer during the consultation so you can compare each lawyer equally before deciding who you would like to hire to represent you. A few questions you may want to have on the list you make are:

1) What percent of the cases you handle are DUI or impaired driver? (Remember that you want someone who is very familiar with the current laws in your state.)

2) What do you charge and what is your fee structure? (You’ll want to know the most you’ll have to pay as well as how much you have to pay upfront. Many DUI lawyers charge a flat fee, which is a set amount for your case whether or not it goes to trial. Some lawyers charge an hourly fee. Others have staggered fee structures that break things into phases. They may charge a flat fee up until trial. If the case goes to trial then there’s another fee to pay. If the entire fee is required upfront but you are financially unable to pay it all upfront ask if a payment arrangement can be worked out. It can’t hurt to ask. The worst answer you can get is “no.”)

3) What costs besides attorney fees will I be responsible for? (In addition to lawyer fees you may be responsible for things like court costs and filing fees).

4) Will you be the lawyer handling my case or will someone else in the firm be the primary lawyer on my case? (This question is especially important if you are consulting at a firm with several lawyers. Some people have been very frustrated when they found out the lawyer they consulted with wasn’t the lawyer who handled the majority of their case.)

These are just a few of the questions you’ll likely want to ask before deciding which DUI lawyer you want to hire.



Vikram Kumar asked:


Driving under the influence or DUI case is common to the state in California. The state requires strict observance against driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Once caught for DUI, there are various severe consequences.

Nowadays, being in a DUI case can be very frustrating. You can be wrongly accused as the Police in California can be very strict against DUI. Once accused, you will be subject to severe penalties. The penalties posed in California may include:

• First offense – fine of below 1000 dollars; possibility of 180days at the jail; and revocation of driver’s license for 6 months.

• Second offense – fine of more than 1000 dollars; possibility of one year imprisonment; and revocation of driver’s license for up to 2 years. The second offense is within 10 years range of the first offense.

• Third offense – imprisonment of 120 days mandatory period up to one year. Driver’s license will also be suspended accordingly. This is also within the 10 years range from the first offense.

• Fourth offense – considered a felony to be punished by state imprisonment. This is also within 10 years range from the first offense.

On top of the punishments and penalties, DUI case can be humiliating. Even if you are wrongly accused, you will have a criminal record reflected in your personal file. This will result to high insurance rate for your auto insurance as well as negative implication on your employment potential.

Getting away from DUI case can be a complex process. And the prosecutors of the DUI case are usually experts on the field. Therefore you would need Los Angeles DUI Lawyer to defend your case. You need to get an expert and knowledgeable Los Angeles DUI Lawyer.

The Los Angles DUI Lawyer should be able to handle the DUI case charged against you. In your defense, he can fight for your right against the revocation of your driver’s license. He can also fight in your behalf to get away with the penalties and corresponding punishment to be charged to you. With such big responsibility, you need a skilled, experienced and aggressive Los Angeles DUI Lawyer.

Fortunately, there is a Los Angeles DUI Attorney that has handled several DUI cases in South California. He is not just experienced, he is knowledgeable and expert on DUI cases as well. His name is Atty. Robert Salinsky.

Los Angeles DUI Attorney Robert Salinsky has been a Sate Bar of California member since 1979. He established his law firm with a strong reputation of defending the client’s rights. He is experts on the cases in DUI, personal injury lawsuits, weapons charges, theft charges, and expungement of criminal records. All these cases are handled by Robert Salinsky for the residents in South California.

So if you are faced with charges on DUI, you need to contact Robert Salinsky immediately as you Los Angeles DUI Attorney. This way, your case will immediately be taken care of with the expertise of Robert Salinsky Los Angeles DUI Attorney.



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