What Is Driving Under the Influence (DUI)?
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is when a person operates a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): “Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes… that’s one person every 50 minutes.” Due to the dangers and potential fatality it poses to both the driver and others on the road, it is considered a serious offense. DUI laws vary by jurisdiction but generally involve legal limits for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or impairment by drugs.
While policies vary by state, penalties can include fines, license suspension or revocation, mandatory substance abuse education or treatment programs, and sometimes imprisonment. Repeat offenders often face more stringent punishments, with the goal of deterring individuals from driving while impaired. Some states have strict “zero tolerance” policies for underage drivers, while others may impose harsher penalties for high BAC levels or multiple offenses.
While critics argue that overly harsh penalties may disproportionately affect certain demographics or discourage individuals from seeking help, the benefits of stringent DUI enforcement include safer roadways and decreased instances of impaired driving-related accidents.
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Could Your Prescription Medicine Affect Your Driving?
Prescription Drugs and Driving Can Be a Fatal Mix
You know that alcohol and illegal drugs can impair driving ability and cause dangerous accidents. But what about your prescription medication? Many people don’t realize that even medicine that is prescribed by a doctor and taken as directed can affect your driving.
It is an issue that concerns our car accident lawyers, as well as many lawmakers. The penalty for driving under the influence of medication carries the same penalty as a DUI in certain states. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reported that drugs were present in 43% of fatally injured drivers in 2017, more frequently than alcohol was present. This applies to some legal prescription and over-the-counter drugs, as well as illegal drugs.
Drugged driving is more complex than driving under the influence of alcohol for several reasons. […]
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Pennsylvania’s New DUI Law Goes Into Effect
What is the new DUI law in PA?
What is the new DUI law in PA?A new DUI law goes into effect in Pennsylvania this week, placing different restrictions on first-time DUI drivers.
Under the new law, first-time offenders will have to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicles. Previously, ignition interlocks were only required after two or more offenses; first-time offenders would instead face a license suspension of one year.
What is an ignition interlock device?
An ignition interlock device is essentially a breathalizer that will prevent a car’s engine from starting until the driver blows into a tube to indicate that they are not under the influence. If the device detects alcohol, the vehicle will not start.
Those in favor of the new law say that the ignition interlock will be more effective in preventing drunk driving accidents and deaths, […]
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Fatal Hit and Run Accidents on the Rise in Philadelphia
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, hit and run accidents in the city have reached almost epidemic levels in recent months.
Nonfatal hit and run incidents have increased by 30%, while fatal hit and runs have gone up 55% compared to this time last year.
The most recent fatal hit and run in Philadelphia took the life of 18-year-old Kevin Maldonado, who was struck by a woman driving a stolen white Toyota Prius. After hitting Maldonado, the woman abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
Incidents like this one leave many people wondering how someone can run from the scene of an accident and leave a person to die. In 2014, Pennsylvania law was amended to ensure that the minimum legal penalty for fleeing the scene of an accident would be the same as the minimum sentence for DUI, […]
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Is Uber cutting down on drunk driving?
In February of this year, Uber officially became available to the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area.
What is Uber? Born in San Francisco and common in large cities before making its NEPA debut, Uber is a mobile app/service that allows users to connect with professional independent contract drivers hired by the company to provide a ridesharing service, similar to a taxi service. Uber is currently available in 50 countries and 250 cities.
Uber has been in the news a lot lately, particularly for questions regarding its safety. This blog and infographic from the Michigan Auto Law Blog entitle “How Safe is Uber?” does an excellent job of breaking down the safety concerns and what Uber is doing to make its service safer for both riders and drivers.
One reason we’re interested in Uber is because of its potential to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents that happen each year. […]
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Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety Rank States in Annual Report
Pennsylvania still lacking in some driver safety laws
On January 22, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety released their 12th annual “Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws” report. The report outlines the number of people killed and injured in motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2013 (the latest data available), and what can be done to improve safety on our nation’s roads. Areas of focus include child passenger safety, teen drivers, impaired driving, distracted driving, seat belt and helmet laws. The report also provides a state-by-state breakdown of where safety laws are enforced, and issues “green” “yellow” and “red” ratings based on this. See how your state compares to the rest of the country when it comes to safety laws and traffic deaths. If you want clear, reader-friendly analysis or quick facts about car accidents where you live, click here to check it out. […]
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