Details Of A DUI

by Richard Milford

Today it seems that you hear the abbreviation constantly. DUI task forces are constantly on the news. However, not everyone understands the basics of a DUI are or even what DUI stands for.

Basically, the abbreviation DUI stands for “driving under the influence.” Typically, this means that someone has gotten behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and has driven while being under the influence of either drugs or alcohol. Each state has different requirements regarding DUI’s, but in all of them driving under the influence of a substance is illegal.

If you are charged with a DUI then you are facing criminal charges and that even though it is legal for those at least 21 years old to consume alcohol. However, driving with a blood alcohol content that is higher than the legal limit is always considered illegal. It is obvious that driving under the influence of illegal drugs is a criminal offense, but many fail to realize that driving while impaired due to prescription medications can also be considered a crime.

There are many police officers who are on the look -out for those who may be driving under the influence. They often drive erratically drawing attention to themselves. The reason for this is a person’s focus and reaction time is greatly diminished.

Once a law enforcement officer has pulled over a suspect that is possible driving under the influence, they will start off by asking the driver about whether or not they are under the influence of any substance. Once that is done, the officer will then ask the driver to go through and complete a field sobriety test which consists of tests that check the coordination and reactions of the person in question. Tests like walking in a straight line, standing on one leg or touching the nose with each of the hands are done. If there is still reason to be suspicious of a DUI then other tests that are more exact will be requested from the driver, such as the breathalyzer test or a blood test and these will tell exactly what the blood alcohol levels are.

Again, rules vary from state to state, but most of the time the driver under suspicion is able to decide which type of advanced test they would like to take. However, each state also has “implied consent.” This means that when you get your driver’s license, you have given your consent to be tested if your well-being is under suspicion. The logic here is that driving is a privilege and a responsibility. If you are driving under the influence, you are putting both yourself and the others on the road at risk.

Every state had different consequences for DUI’s. Some of the most common consequences include a stay in jail, possible community service, suspension of your driver’s license, fines, and even probation. Of course, the severity of the consequences is directly tied to how severe the infraction is. If your blood levels are severely over the legal limits or if this is your second or third offense, you can expect that your consequences would be more severe than those for a lesser infraction of the law.

About the Author:
For top quality information on Maine DUI laws, please visit this site which has very good help with William Bly.

Published by: Richard Milford on September 28th, 2009 | Filed under Legal



Leave a Comment

rss feed