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]]>One thing that could help prevent drunk driving crashes is the use of self-driving vehicles. According to Uber, self-driving cars will be cheaper, safer and better. It plans to test the vehicles in Dallas and to use a test track in Pittsburgh. Beginning in November, the company will map and collect data about downtown Dallas to create computer simulations of those routes. They’ll then be tested on the track in Pennsylvania.
The company believes that its self-driving cars could be driving themselves around Dallas as soon as 2020 and have self-driving cars available to the market by 2021 or 2022. These vehicles wouldn’t be unmanned, but the concept is clear: With self-driving vehicles, there is a lower risk of human error. These vehicles can’t get drunk or have medical emergencies, potentially making them the safest way to get around in the future.
For now, these cars are not on the roads, so you do need to be cautious about how much you drink and making the decision to get behind the wheel. If you plan to drink while you’re out for the night, calling a ride-sharing service is still a smart idea, so that you can get home without putting yourself or others in danger and avoid the risk of getting a DUI.
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]]>The post Can dashcam footage help your DUI case? appeared first on Louis Emmi.
]]>For a person facing a drunk driving charge, the information in the dashcam video is sometimes a valuable defense tool. Before you decide whether you are going to include it in your defense strategy, review the footage to determine what it shows.
What might the footage prove?
One thing that you may see in the footage is why the officer initiated the traffic stop. To pull a person over for suspicion of drunk driving, the police officer must have reasonable suspicion to think that you are breaking the law.
Some of the more common signs of drunk driving include swerving all over the road, stopping for no reason or nearly hitting objects on the side of the thoroughfare. If there isn’t anything on dashcam footage that suggests the officer had reasonable suspicion, your defense might benefit from using the recording.
The footage may show that there was reasonable suspicion so you must be careful when you decide to use it. The key here is that you need to show the truth about what happened, but you have to do this carefully when you are the defendant.
How else can you use dashcam footage?
If you claim the officer did something that violated your rights, such as failing to read you your rights before questioning you after placing you under arrest, dashcam or bodycam footage may show it. Just as is the case with trying to prove that there wasn’t a valid reason to pull you over, you have to be careful about how people might perceive what they see. If there is a chance that the video puts you in an unfavorable light, it is probably best to bypass it.
Your entire defense strategy should be customized to fit the circumstances. Using the dashcam footage is likely only one facet of it. Consider your goals for the case and vet your options so you can make decisions that are best for you.
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]]>The post Will you have to go to DUI school or treatment? appeared first on Louis Emmi.
]]>Sometimes known as “DUI school,” DUI treatment, education and assessments are used to help prevent people from reoffending. The DUI program may be part of a suspended sentencing arrangement or ordered as a part of probation. Sometimes, judges send people who have received DUIs to these schools to learn more about alcohol dependency and the consequences of DUIs.
Can completing DUI schooling help your case?
Besides the fact that the DUI schooling is usually mandatory, it will help if you complete the program successfully. Not only will it educate you on why driving while intoxicated is so dangerous, but it could also get your driving privileges restored to you. If you don’t comply with the program’s requirements, then you may not be able to have your license reinstated as quickly.
If you are ordered to DUI treatment instead, this is a little different. There, you may receive an education on DUIs and alcohol use, but you may also be treated for addiction or other concerns. A judge may assign you to a treatment program if there are signs of substance abuse or addiction that could be helped by going through a program to get sober.
Our website has more information on DUIs and why it is important for you to fight back against the charges. If you are facing a conviction, your attorney can help you limit the damage the charge does to your reputation.
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]]>The post Help save lives and avoid a DUI appeared first on Louis Emmi.
]]>In Pennsylvania, there were 314 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2017, while there were 10,874 in the United States in total. As someone who may enjoy a drink or two on a night out, remember that you can help prevent these deaths.
Talk to your friends and family about the risks of drunk driving
It is important to talk to your friends and family about the risks that are involved when they drive while intoxicated. Even if they aren’t over the .08% limit, there is a risk of being impaired enough to cause a collision. The .08% limit is just the per-se limit, which means that the authorities need no further evidence for a DUI charge. This doesn’t mean that you can’t face a DUI at a lower blood alcohol content (BAC).
Get a ride and save a life
If you do plan to drink, plan ahead to have a ride come to get you. Whether it’s a taxi, a ride-sharing service or another way of getting to or from your destination, do what you can to avoid driving when you have any amount of alcohol in your system. Full sobriety is the only way to guarantee that you’ll avoid a DUI.
If you are stopped for a DUI, your attorney can help you fight the charges and work toward a solution for your case.
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]]>The post Fall college events where police are on high alert for DUI appeared first on Louis Emmi.
]]>Officers are aware of how hectic parties can get during the fall. They’ll keep a close eye out for any signs of intoxicated driving at certain events. It’s important for students to be aware of what events they’ll be monitoring so they can plan their nights carefully and avoid having their educational futures ruined from a DUI arrest.
Greek life rituals
Fall and spring are the two most popular seasons of the year where fraternities and sororities are accepting new members. While not all of these organizations consist of the stereotypical drunk party-goers seen in films like Animal House, there have been several incidents over the years that haven’t done any favors for their reputations.
Earlier this year, four Penn State University fraternity brothers received charges for contributing to the death of a pledge. They made a minor drink an excessive amount of alcohol and waited 12 hours to call 911 after the young man tripped down the stairs and suffered from a traumatic brain injury. Fraternities and sororities should know the dangers of hazing by now and should avoid putting their new pledges in similar deadly situations. Incidents like these have led the police to closely monitor Greek life houses during this time of year.
Football games
College towns and campuses can get crowded during weekends where the team is playing on their home turf. Many students hardly spend time at the game itself and instead try to have fun at the gatherings going on outside of the stadium. They can participate in tailgating or grab some of their buddies to go to a local bar just down the main road away from the campus entrance.
Police are already on high alert during the weekends since it’s the most popular time of the week for DUI crashes. When there is a home game or the college is celebrating homecoming weekend, expect to see more cop cars driving around your campus. Penn State has consistently struggled with intoxicated students during football season, and the officers are aware they aren’t the only university that needs monitoring around this time.
Since these gatherings often involve a lot of people, an officer could end up arresting the wrong person amidst the chaos of these Autumn events. If you face DUI accusations after attending one of these social functions, contact a DUI defense attorney to avoid putting your academic future at risk.
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]]>How alcohol affects you depends on a number of factors, but there are some general explanations for how alcohol will affect you at certain percentages. Here’s more about what you should know.
The effects of alcohol at specific BAC levels
While everyone is different, these are the average effects seen at specific BAC levels:
Above this, impairment continues to become more severe. If a BAC reaches .45% or higher, the majority of people would die from alcohol poisoning.
These are explanations of how alcohol can affect your body. Knowing this, it’s important to have your BAC as close to zero as possible if you intend on driving. That way, you can help avoid a crash.
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]]>The post What should you do if you’re arrested for driving drunk? appeared first on Louis Emmi.
]]>On your way home, you were stopped by an officer who saw you weaving. Now, you’re facing an arrest and charges. What should you do?
1. Don’t admit to drinking and driving
Though this may seem obvious, being honest isn’t necessarily your best option at this point. You don’t have to say that you didn’t drink, but you can elect not to say anything at all. If you’re not sure what to say to the police, the best policy is to stay quiet.
2. Call your attorney
You should call your attorney soon after your arrest. They will be able to give you guidance on what you should or should not say or do while in police custody. They will also gather information about the arrest right away, so they, and you, know the charges and what to expect.
3. Be civil
Finally, remember to be civil. If you act aggressive or hurt someone, you could end up facing more charges than a simple DUI. The way you act, if sensible, could even help show that you were not as intoxicated as the police believed.
These are three tips you should follow if you were arrested for a DUI. Remember, your actions will matter when building a defense. Our site has more on what you should do if you’re arrested on suspicion of a DUI.
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]]>The post How impaired are you under .08%? appeared first on Louis Emmi.
]]>While everyone does process alcohol differently, the truth is that any amount of alcohol in your blood can make it harder to make good decisions and more difficult to stay focused on the road. Even the impairment of only .02% or .04% can impact your ability to drive.
At different percentages, you may be more or less impaired, but the reality is that you are impaired, nonetheless. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has suggested that states actually lower their BAC limit to .05% because some people show impairment at that level. By .08%, people are showing significant signs of impairment.
How does alcohol impact your ability to drive?
When impaired by alcohol, there are some obvious signs. There are changes in the way your eyes move, slower reaction times and differences in visual perception. It’s similar to the impact of a lack of sleep.
One thing to keep in mind is that size matters. Someone who is a lighter weight may be impacted by alcohol much sooner than those who are taller or heavier. Why? They have less blood volume to dilute the alcohol. Females also take less alcohol to become impaired to the same level as men.
If you plan to drive after drinking, it’s better to put the thought out of your mind and to hire a taxi or call a ride-sharing service; That’s the only guaranteed way to avoid a DUI.
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]]>The post If you’re facing a DUI, get the right help appeared first on Louis Emmi.
]]>In many cases, people do get home safely. Since everyone metabolizes alcohol differently, some people can even drive fairly well at the .08% limit. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s legal to do so. In fact, if you’re caught driving recklessly and have alcohol in your system, you can face a DUI even if you’re under that .08% legal limit.
What do you need to do if you’ve been charged with a DUI?
The first thing you’ll need to do is to talk to your attorney. Your attorney will ask a few questions about the case, such as:
Looking at the basic questions above, your attorney will have a good idea of whether or not you were treated fairly during the traffic stop and subsequent arrest. Your attorney can also start looking for discrepancies, such as if the breath test results are too different to be accurate or if the arresting officer didn’t have reason to pull you over.
With help from your attorney, it’s possible to fight the charges you face. Good help will make a difference.
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]]>Take this case as an example. A man has been charged with a DUI for hitting a flagger on Pittsburgh road. The June 28 report states that the man who was hit saw the driver coming and attempted to flag him into the other lane. The car continued onward, hitting the flagger on Washington Boulevard.
After hitting the flagger, the allegedly drunk driver hit an illuminated directional sign. The police at the scene stopped him and reported smelling alcohol. The criminal complaint says that the man called a friend because he was scared over what happened. He then allegedly took two shots of fireball before throwing away the container. Knowing this, the authorities took several tests and determined that he had been drunk at the time of the crash.
What should you do if you accidentally hit someone and may be intoxicated?
If you hit someone and may be intoxicated, it’s still in your best interests to remain at the scene. If you leave, you can be charged for a hit-and-run collision, which intensifies the number of penalties you face and how severe they are. You may also face other charges, depending on the prosecution’s take on the case.
Your attorney can help you defend yourself if you remain at the scene and follow directions. Let them know that you’ve been involved in a crash as soon as possible.
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