Ignition Interlock Devices As a Way to Prevent Drunk Driving
Now Playing: Ignition Interlock Devices As a Way to Prevent Drunk Driving

The ignition interlock is a device that is installed in the car, and if someone has to drive the vehicle, he/she provides a breath sample by blowing into the device. The car will not start if the IID detects alcohol on the breath. 

Many people have looked into ignition interlock devices being a key component in drunk driving prevention.  In fact, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a law this past summer that requires Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs) be installed on vehicles owned and operated by motorists convicted of driving on a suspended license due to a previous alcohol-related conviction. 

Last year AAA conducted a poll and found that 80% of those who were surveyed liked the idea of mandating drunk driving offenders to have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles.

What do you think about ignition interlock devices?  Will they help prevent drunk driving?

Related Post:
Are IID's Really Worth It?

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Get help with your San Diego DUI.  Contact an experienced and professional San Diego DUI attorney.

Ignition Interlock Devices As a Way to Prevent Drunk Driving
Now Playing: Ignition Interlock Devices As a Way to Prevent Drunk Driving

The ignition interlock is a device that is installed in the car, and if someone has to drive the vehicle, he/she provides a breath sample by blowing into the device. The car will not start if the IID detects alcohol on the breath. 

Many people have looked into ignition interlock devices being a key component in drunk driving prevention.  In fact, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a law this past summer that requires Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs) be installed on vehicles owned and operated by motorists convicted of driving on a suspended license due to a previous alcohol-related conviction. 

Last year AAA conducted a poll and found that 80% of those who were surveyed liked the idea of mandating drunk driving offenders to have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles.

What do you think about ignition interlock devices?  Will they help prevent drunk driving?

Related Post:
Are IID's Really Worth It?

************************

Get help with your San Diego DUI.  Contact an experienced and professional San Diego DUI lawyer.

Are You a Minor Who's Been Arrested For a DUI in San Diego?

Drunk Driving: It Only Takes a Few Minutes to Save a Life
We all know the dangers of drunk driving, and yet to this day people still don't take it very seriously.  Most people are under the impression that a DUI is a minor traffic violation, however, a DUI arrest is indeed a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. 

Is it worth all the heartache?

Is it worth all the stress and humiliation?

Before you go out to drink and party, take just a few minutes to plan how you will get home.  Bring a sober friend with you.  Call a cab.  Make arrangements with someone to pick you up if you have to.  Just a few minutes of planning not only can saveyour life, but it can save the lives of other people who share the roads and highways with you. 

If you are arrested for a DUI in San Diego, make sure to hire an experienced lawyer to help you with your case.

New DUI Trend: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports every year that thousands of people are arrested for drunk driving.   It's been said that 10 to 22 percent of crashes are alcohol related.

Here's something else to think about....An article at TransWorld News says that a new trend with DUI's has surfaced.  It looks like nowadays more people are arrested for being under the influence of drugs versus being under the influence of alcohol. 

Well, we could continue to talk about how drunk driving is an issue, but what I want to know is...What is it exactly that will prevent this from becoming a bigger issue?

I believe that the root of the drunk driving problem is based on the idea that people have personal and development issues that cause them to turn to alcohol to get away from their problems.  Creating support systems for people who have been charged for drunk driving could be one step that we could take to help.  The state of California currently imposes mandatory DUI classes as one form of punishment, but I think most people need help beyond 30 days or even 6 months.  People need one-on-one help - especially those people who are repeat offenders. 

If you do have a drug or alcohol problem, get the help you need.  There are plenty of alcohol and drug rehab facilities in the San Diego area!  Your San Diego DUI attorney can also provide you with resources and community programs. 

Drunk Driving: What We Need Right Now

New Solutions To Prevent Drunk Driving

For many years now drinking and driving has been an ongoing issue in the U.S.  With this blog I've proposed many solutions to prevent drunk driving.   One solution that I've proposed is to educate kids about the dangers of drunk driving at an early age.  Another solution I've proposed is to have more TV commercials or public service announcements warning people about drunk driving.

There are quite a few states that are experimenting with new solutions to prevent drunk driving.  The state of New Mexico was the first to require ignition interlock devices on first-time drunk driving offenders. Since implementing this requirement, the statistics show that New Mexico has had fewer drunk driving-related accidents.

One would think that this would cost the government quite a bit of money to have these installed for every drunk driver, but New Mexico is actually requiring the convicted offender to pay for the device. Some say that a more effective solution would be to revoke drivers' licenses, however, I think people would still continue to drive. With the ignition interlock device, at least the car wouldn't be drivable if the person was drunk.

Whether or not this initiative will spread to other states, we'll just have to wait and see.  Earlier this month Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 91 by Assemblymember Mike Feuer which creates an ignition interlock device pilot program in four counties for every vehicle owned or operated by a first-time driving under the influence (DUI) offender.  The four counties include Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Tulare counties.  Read more: Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation Cracking Down on DUI Offenders

Get help with your DUI case in Orange County by contacting experienced Orange County DUI attorneys.

Boating, Flying, and Cycling Under the Influence
In the state of California, you could be arrested for operating a boat, plane, or even a bike while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Under state law, boating, flying, or bicycling under the influence are considered separate DUI offenses.  Keep in mind that as with an automobile DUI, you can and will be arrested.

Can I Get My DUI Expunged?

Being charged with a DUI means that there's a chance that your criminal record may be tarnished.  There are certain cases, however, whereby a drunk driving charge could possibly be expunged if you've displayed proper behavior during your probation. 

There are different definitions of "expungement" and they vary from state to state.  However, generally speaking, an expungement means erasing or eliminating a DUI charge from your criminal record.  Because DUI laws are different in each state, it's highly advisable to hire a DUI attorney to help you investigate your case and figure out what is the best approach for your particular situation. 

In California a DUI expungement does not necessarily mean your record will be free and clear. If you are charged again for drunk driving within ten years, the first DUI incident could still be used as prior conviction.  For example, if DUI charge #1 is expunged but later the person is charged charged again for drunk driving (#2), it could still be considered a second offense. 

So what does a DUI expungement actually mean? 

1.  Your current DUI case will be dismissed by the court - meaning "it never happened"

2.  You do not have disclose the DUI charge when you apply to a school or a job - with the exception of a government or state-related position.

Find out more about DUI law in Orange County...

Drunk Driving Wake-Up Call

Sometimes in life we are offered many chances in life to learn from our mistakes.  We'll even make the same mistake a few times before we actually wake up and learn our lesson.  Then there are people who seem to never learn from their mistakes.  For John Joseph Taskey, it took five drunk driving incidences before he got his big wakeup call:  15 years-to-life sentence for an accident that killed Rosa Degerman.

Taskey pleaded guilty to second degree murder for the accident that happened in September of 2007.  He was driving west on Interstate 8 in San Diego when his pickup truck ran into the car that Rosa Degerman was in.  She suffered injuries and passed away the next day at the hospital. 

It's a shame that it took a tragic death for Taskey to be put in jail.  What happened to him after his third or fourth DUI arrest, I don't know, but it's obvious that he needed some help.  We could blame the "system" for not taking an active role in helping to rehabilitate John Taskey, however, at the same time Taskey made the decision to keep getting behind the wheel despite his license suspensions. 

Do you think that harsher DUI penalties will prevent repeat drunk driving offenders from committing the same mistake over and over?  What will it take for people to take drunk driving more seriously? 

If you have numerous DUI arrests, ask your Orange County DUI defense lawyer for resources to help with your problem.

Source:  SignOnSanDiego.com