State, county and city law enforcement agencies are ready for the third enhanced enforcement effort, during the New Year's Holiday period, to reduce crashes caused by impaired and other dangerous drivers.
This year's New Year's holiday reporting period extends from 6:00 p.m., Thursday, December 30, through 11:59 p.m., Sunday, January 2, 2011.
According to Oregon's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) statistics, since 1986, about 43 percent of traffic fatalities during the New Year's Holiday period have been in alcohol-involved crashes.
There were no traffic fatalities in Oregon during last year's 102-hour New Year's holiday period; only the second time since 1970. According to FARS statistics, during the last ten years more than five traffic deaths occurred on average each year during the New Year's Holiday period.
Since 1970, the highest number of fatalities for this holiday period happened twice, in 1998 and 1999, when 12 people died in Oregon traffic crashes.
Nationally, during the month of December 2009, 753 people were killed in crashes that involved a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08 or higher. During the past decade in Oregon, more than 2,000 people have been killed and over 26,000 injured by a drinking or drugged driver.
Alcohol-impaired drivers are not the only concern for law enforcement agencies. Drug impairment and involvement in fatal traffic crashes is reflected in recently released data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Last year, about 1 in 5 drivers who were killed in car crashes tested positive for drugs. Officers trained as Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) are involved in the national "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit, Under Arrest." crackdown to help evaluate possible drug-impaired drivers.
Oregon law enforcement leaders urge all travelers to continue keeping the party off the road, fasten your safety restraints, and always have a designated sober driver to get you to your destination safely. Oregon State Police, Oregon State Sheriff's Association, and Oregon Association Chiefs of Police join ODOT officials in offering these safety tips:
* If you are planning to drink, plan ahead: designate a sober driver or arrange for a taxi to pick you up at a set time. * Volunteer to be a designated driver. * If you are hosting a party, offer plenty of non-alcoholic beverages and help your guests be responsible. Don't let someone who has been drinking get behind the wheel. * Walking or bicycling after dark? Wear bright clothes to help you stand out, and always look both ways before crossing, even at an intersection. * Be watchful when driving for pedestrians on or near the road. * Buckle up, every trip, every time. * Drive defensively at all times.
OSP and ODOT also urge drivers to not let their guard down and be aware of traffic safety corridors, highway work zones, and winter-related road condition changes. Even when workers are not present, all work zone speed limits still apply and fines double. Inactive work zones may have equipment, detours, and incomplete changes in the roadway so drivers need to slow down and be alert. ODOT's travel and road conditions website, www.TripCheck.com, contains up-to-date incident information, weather reports, alerts and other valuable "know before you go" information.
SOURCE
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Should First Time Drivers Get a Pass?
A new bill could change the way first-time DWI offenders are treated in court.
For years, deferred adjudication hasn't been an option for folks caught driving drunk.
But now, a new bill is proposed meant to ultimately acquit drunk drivers, if it's their first offense.
They would still be required to possibly complete classes, pay fines, and serve probation, but repeat-offenders would be the ones to face harsher punishments.
M.A.D.D. is in support of this bill, filed by republican Todd Smith of Euless, TX.
Should first-time drunk drivers get a pass, only to be punished if they repeat the offense?
SOURCE
For years, deferred adjudication hasn't been an option for folks caught driving drunk.
But now, a new bill is proposed meant to ultimately acquit drunk drivers, if it's their first offense.
They would still be required to possibly complete classes, pay fines, and serve probation, but repeat-offenders would be the ones to face harsher punishments.
M.A.D.D. is in support of this bill, filed by republican Todd Smith of Euless, TX.
Should first-time drunk drivers get a pass, only to be punished if they repeat the offense?
SOURCE
One-tenth of all motorists admit to drunken driving
In just the past year, one in 10 drivers admit to operating a vehicle while legally drunk – and more than half of those also say they’ve done so more than once.
The findings are from the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety.
At the same time, 10 percent of drivers interviewed for the study admitted to operating under the influence, a full 87 percent saw the act as a “very serious threat,” according to John Townsend, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, in a written release. On the positive side of the issue, however, the nationwide number of deaths due to drunk driving has declined between 2007 and 2009.
“While the number of deaths caused by drunk and drugged driving is on the decline, there are still far too many people who are still driving drunk on our highways and roadways,” Townsend said. “Here are the cold hard facts: One person is killed every half-hour due to drunk driving and every other minute a person is seriously injured in an alcohol related crash.”
The Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 83 percent of respondents said they would lose respect for friends who drove drunk, while nine in 10 survey participants favored proactive measures for those convicted of the act.
“Ninety percent support requiring all drivers who have been convicted of DWI more than once to use an alcohol-ignition interlock – a device that prevents the driver from starting the car if his or her breath contains measurable alcohol – in their cars,” according to the Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The leading case of death for those aged 1 through 34 is motor vehicle crashes, many of which stemmed from alcohol use, the Foundation for Traffic Safety reported.
Last year, 10,839 people died in crashes involving at least one driver with some measure of alcohol in his or her blood – a non-zero blood alcohol concentration, AAA Mid-Atlantic found. That number translates to roughly one-third of all road fatalities. And of the 10,839, almost 70 percent – or 7,478 – involved at least one driver with a blood alcohol count of .15 percent or higher, or of a driver with a blood alcohol level higher than the level limit of .08 who also had a previous alcohol-related traffic conviction.
With New Year’s on the way – and a statistic that shows roughly two-and-a-half times as many people die in alcohol related wrecks on New Year’s Day than in the weeks leading up to the holiday – AAA Mid-Atlantic emphasized the need for caution.
“By taking the proper precautions … area motorists can safely take pleasure in the joys of the season,” Townsend said.
Such precautions include the use of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s SoberRide Campaign, which provides safe rides between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Dec. 28 through Jan. 1, 2011, and of taxicabs, or of friends who pledge to remain sober.
SOURCE
The findings are from the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety.
At the same time, 10 percent of drivers interviewed for the study admitted to operating under the influence, a full 87 percent saw the act as a “very serious threat,” according to John Townsend, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, in a written release. On the positive side of the issue, however, the nationwide number of deaths due to drunk driving has declined between 2007 and 2009.
“While the number of deaths caused by drunk and drugged driving is on the decline, there are still far too many people who are still driving drunk on our highways and roadways,” Townsend said. “Here are the cold hard facts: One person is killed every half-hour due to drunk driving and every other minute a person is seriously injured in an alcohol related crash.”
The Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 83 percent of respondents said they would lose respect for friends who drove drunk, while nine in 10 survey participants favored proactive measures for those convicted of the act.
“Ninety percent support requiring all drivers who have been convicted of DWI more than once to use an alcohol-ignition interlock – a device that prevents the driver from starting the car if his or her breath contains measurable alcohol – in their cars,” according to the Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The leading case of death for those aged 1 through 34 is motor vehicle crashes, many of which stemmed from alcohol use, the Foundation for Traffic Safety reported.
Last year, 10,839 people died in crashes involving at least one driver with some measure of alcohol in his or her blood – a non-zero blood alcohol concentration, AAA Mid-Atlantic found. That number translates to roughly one-third of all road fatalities. And of the 10,839, almost 70 percent – or 7,478 – involved at least one driver with a blood alcohol count of .15 percent or higher, or of a driver with a blood alcohol level higher than the level limit of .08 who also had a previous alcohol-related traffic conviction.
With New Year’s on the way – and a statistic that shows roughly two-and-a-half times as many people die in alcohol related wrecks on New Year’s Day than in the weeks leading up to the holiday – AAA Mid-Atlantic emphasized the need for caution.
“By taking the proper precautions … area motorists can safely take pleasure in the joys of the season,” Townsend said.
Such precautions include the use of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s SoberRide Campaign, which provides safe rides between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Dec. 28 through Jan. 1, 2011, and of taxicabs, or of friends who pledge to remain sober.
SOURCE
Monday, December 20, 2010
Bill to ban cell phones while driving aimed at text-sending motorists
An Indiana lawmaker wants to stop motorists from texting, but to do so, he’s had to file a bill that would ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.
State Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, said legislation he filed last week would make it easier for police to catch people sending text messages while they’re behind the wheel.
The bill would make it a Class C infraction to use a hand-held cell phone while driving and would give police “primary enforcement” — allowing them to pull over and ticket drivers without requiring any other traffic violation. Nine states have similar laws.
The bill would allow the use of Bluetooth devices or other “hands-free” technology on the cell phone. It would allow emergency calls to be made.
In 2009, Holdman authored the state’s graduated driver’s license law that prohibits teenage drivers, 18 and younger, from texting while driving.
He said his constituents have urged him to do more.
“The calls I’ve been getting are from young mothers,” Holdman said. “They say, ‘Will you do something so that my husband will quit texting while he’s driving?’”
Enforcing an anti-texting law is difficult, though. Holdman said law enforcement officials have told him it’s easier for police officers to spot a driver on a cell phone than it is to spot a driver sending text messages. Drivers who do so typically have their device in their lap and are using two hands to type in the message.
That’s what makes it so dangerous, as Holdman said. He cited a 2009 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study that showed texting drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds.
At that rate, a texting driver traveling 55 miles an hour would travel the length of a football field without ever looking up.
The anti-texting intent of the bill received support from Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and AT&T Indiana President George Fleetwood.
Both Zoeller and Fleetwood appeared at a press conference Thursday to push the message that driving and texting don’t mix.
Fleetwood explained why AT&T has launched a national campaign to promote that message: “Because people are dying while texting while driving,” Fleetwood said. “It’s a foolhardy practice at best. A lethal one at worst.”
Zoeller defended Holdman’s bill as an act of public safety. “This is not about personal liberty,’’ Zoeller said. “Texting while driving is entirely different from seat belt or motorcycle helmet laws and this prohibition does not infringe upon any individual rights.”
Driving while distracted by cell phones — talking or texting — appears to be a significant factor in collisions, according to some studies. The Indiana State Police reported 1,167 crashes, including four fatalities, in which “cell phone usage” was cited as a contributing factor.
“And those are the ones that drivers admit to,” Holdman said.
What kind of reception the bill will receive once the Indiana General Assembly is in session is hard to predict. Similar bills have been introduced but have failed to gain support needed for passage.
Holdman said motorists can act now, even before the bill gets a hearing, to increase safety by putting away their cell phones while driving. Holdman, Zoeller and Fleetwood said their family members have pressured them into doing so.
“It’s difficult when your cell phone rings. It’s hard not to pick it up,” said Holdman. “But you have to decide that it can wait.”
SOURCE
State Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, said legislation he filed last week would make it easier for police to catch people sending text messages while they’re behind the wheel.
The bill would make it a Class C infraction to use a hand-held cell phone while driving and would give police “primary enforcement” — allowing them to pull over and ticket drivers without requiring any other traffic violation. Nine states have similar laws.
The bill would allow the use of Bluetooth devices or other “hands-free” technology on the cell phone. It would allow emergency calls to be made.
In 2009, Holdman authored the state’s graduated driver’s license law that prohibits teenage drivers, 18 and younger, from texting while driving.
He said his constituents have urged him to do more.
“The calls I’ve been getting are from young mothers,” Holdman said. “They say, ‘Will you do something so that my husband will quit texting while he’s driving?’”
Enforcing an anti-texting law is difficult, though. Holdman said law enforcement officials have told him it’s easier for police officers to spot a driver on a cell phone than it is to spot a driver sending text messages. Drivers who do so typically have their device in their lap and are using two hands to type in the message.
That’s what makes it so dangerous, as Holdman said. He cited a 2009 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study that showed texting drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds.
At that rate, a texting driver traveling 55 miles an hour would travel the length of a football field without ever looking up.
The anti-texting intent of the bill received support from Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and AT&T Indiana President George Fleetwood.
Both Zoeller and Fleetwood appeared at a press conference Thursday to push the message that driving and texting don’t mix.
Fleetwood explained why AT&T has launched a national campaign to promote that message: “Because people are dying while texting while driving,” Fleetwood said. “It’s a foolhardy practice at best. A lethal one at worst.”
Zoeller defended Holdman’s bill as an act of public safety. “This is not about personal liberty,’’ Zoeller said. “Texting while driving is entirely different from seat belt or motorcycle helmet laws and this prohibition does not infringe upon any individual rights.”
Driving while distracted by cell phones — talking or texting — appears to be a significant factor in collisions, according to some studies. The Indiana State Police reported 1,167 crashes, including four fatalities, in which “cell phone usage” was cited as a contributing factor.
“And those are the ones that drivers admit to,” Holdman said.
What kind of reception the bill will receive once the Indiana General Assembly is in session is hard to predict. Similar bills have been introduced but have failed to gain support needed for passage.
Holdman said motorists can act now, even before the bill gets a hearing, to increase safety by putting away their cell phones while driving. Holdman, Zoeller and Fleetwood said their family members have pressured them into doing so.
“It’s difficult when your cell phone rings. It’s hard not to pick it up,” said Holdman. “But you have to decide that it can wait.”
SOURCE
Drunk driving a holiday fear
Deaths from drinking and driving spike around the holidays, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Alcohol is blamed for about 52 percent of fatal collisions on Christmas and 57 percent on New Years compared to a rate of 41 percent for the entire year.
MADD, a non-profit corporation established in 1980, is committed to helping victims of crimes committed by those under the influence of alcohol or drugs and increasing public awareness of problems associated with alcohol and illegal drugs.
In addition to the more than 1,200 alcohol-related deaths that will occur on the road this holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than 25,000 people will be injured.
Even with a steady decline in fatalities, the number of drivers with DWI arrests is on the rise.
It is estimated as many as two million drunk drivers with three or more convictions and more than 400,000 with five or more convictions still drive.
MADD suggests:
• If you drink, don't drive.
• Don't let someone you know get behind the wheel if they've been drinking.
• Avoid driving during early and late evening hours on holidays.
• If you must drive, be cautious and watch for the erratic movements.
• Immediately report suspected drunk drivers .
Call 911 or *55 from a cell phone to make highway assistance calls.
SOURCE
Alcohol is blamed for about 52 percent of fatal collisions on Christmas and 57 percent on New Years compared to a rate of 41 percent for the entire year.
MADD, a non-profit corporation established in 1980, is committed to helping victims of crimes committed by those under the influence of alcohol or drugs and increasing public awareness of problems associated with alcohol and illegal drugs.
In addition to the more than 1,200 alcohol-related deaths that will occur on the road this holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than 25,000 people will be injured.
Even with a steady decline in fatalities, the number of drivers with DWI arrests is on the rise.
It is estimated as many as two million drunk drivers with three or more convictions and more than 400,000 with five or more convictions still drive.
MADD suggests:
• If you drink, don't drive.
• Don't let someone you know get behind the wheel if they've been drinking.
• Avoid driving during early and late evening hours on holidays.
• If you must drive, be cautious and watch for the erratic movements.
• Immediately report suspected drunk drivers .
Call 911 or *55 from a cell phone to make highway assistance calls.
SOURCE
Toronto cop faces drunk-driving charges
A Toronto Police officer faces alcohol-related charges after his car crashed into a pole.
Force spokesman Mark Pugash said Const. Ravneet Dhillon, 25, was arrested following the single-vehicle collision Saturday on Dundas St. W. Dhillion was off duty at the time.
The 14 Division officer, who lives in Brampton, has been with Toronto Police since 2008.
Dhillon is charged with impaired driving and operation of a motor vehicle while having more than the legal limit of alcohol in his system.
He was ordered to appear in an Old City Hall court on Feb. 7.
SOURCE
Force spokesman Mark Pugash said Const. Ravneet Dhillon, 25, was arrested following the single-vehicle collision Saturday on Dundas St. W. Dhillion was off duty at the time.
The 14 Division officer, who lives in Brampton, has been with Toronto Police since 2008.
Dhillon is charged with impaired driving and operation of a motor vehicle while having more than the legal limit of alcohol in his system.
He was ordered to appear in an Old City Hall court on Feb. 7.
SOURCE
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
US says farewell to Four Loko
Alcopops, beverages containing both alcohol and caffeine, will no longer be available for purchase in the US after many reports emerged about students there becoming dangerously intoxicated on the drinks.
In New York, a small gathering of college students met to hold a vigil for the now banned beverages, specifically, Four Loco. Candles were held as they sang songs and reminisced about the loss of their “friend”.
As of Monday, Four Loko will not be available in its original form as a mix of both caffeine and a mixture of alcohol contained in a can. The demise of the drink stems from the direct orders of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Coming in at a whopping 12% alcohol, Four Loko is almost three times as potent as a normal beer, and one can of the fruity tasting, energy boosting drink contains a caffeine level equivalent to that of a large coffee from Starbucks.
Four Loko was believed by many to posses a fantastic taste, and when consumed, to make you feel great. However, others have a different opinion about the alcopop labeling it as a “blackout in a can”, which was responsible for many students finding themselves in the hospital after consuming the potent concoction.
The FDA’s principal deputy commissioner, Dr Joshua M Sharfstein, believed that the evidence put forward concerning alcohol and caffeine mixed together in beverages such as Four Loko, constituted a public health concern.
Four Loko will not be gone for good however. The beverage will still be available for purchase, minus the caffeine.
SOURCE
In New York, a small gathering of college students met to hold a vigil for the now banned beverages, specifically, Four Loco. Candles were held as they sang songs and reminisced about the loss of their “friend”.
As of Monday, Four Loko will not be available in its original form as a mix of both caffeine and a mixture of alcohol contained in a can. The demise of the drink stems from the direct orders of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Coming in at a whopping 12% alcohol, Four Loko is almost three times as potent as a normal beer, and one can of the fruity tasting, energy boosting drink contains a caffeine level equivalent to that of a large coffee from Starbucks.
Four Loko was believed by many to posses a fantastic taste, and when consumed, to make you feel great. However, others have a different opinion about the alcopop labeling it as a “blackout in a can”, which was responsible for many students finding themselves in the hospital after consuming the potent concoction.
The FDA’s principal deputy commissioner, Dr Joshua M Sharfstein, believed that the evidence put forward concerning alcohol and caffeine mixed together in beverages such as Four Loko, constituted a public health concern.
Four Loko will not be gone for good however. The beverage will still be available for purchase, minus the caffeine.
SOURCE
30 Million Americans Admit They Drive Drunk
About 30 million Americans a year admit to driving while drunk, and 10 million more say they get behind the wheel when under the influence of illicit drugs, according to new federal research.
On average, 13.2% of all people aged 16 and older drove under the influence of alcohol in the past year, and 4.3% drove while on illicit drugs, says a new survey from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, also known as SAMHSA.
Although the rate of drunk and drugged driving decreased slightly in the past few years, from 14.6% to 13.2%, the problem is still enormous and steps need to be found to reduce it more, researchers say.
Rates of Drunk and Drugged Drivers Drop Slightly
The rate of drugged driving also dropped, from 4.8% of drivers in 2002-2005 to 4.3% in 2006-2009, according to the SAMHSA report. “Thousands of people die each year as a result of drunk and drugged driving, and the lives of family members and friends left behind are forever scarred,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, JD, says in a news release. “Some progress has been made in reducing the levels of drunk and drugged driving through education, enhanced law enforcement, and public outreach efforts.”
Still, she says, the nation “must continue to work to prevent this menace and confront these dangerous drivers in an aggressive way.”
Alarming Findings
Gil Kerlikowske, MA, director of National Drug Control Policy, says the survey reveals that “an alarmingly high percentage of Americans” drive with drugs in their systems.
“At a time when drug abuse is on the rise, it is crucial that communities act today to address the threat of drugged driving as we work to employ more targeted enforcement and develop better tools to detect the presence of drugs among drivers,” he says in the news release.
The national survey found significant differences in substance use and driving among the states.
READ FULL ARTICLE
On average, 13.2% of all people aged 16 and older drove under the influence of alcohol in the past year, and 4.3% drove while on illicit drugs, says a new survey from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, also known as SAMHSA.
Although the rate of drunk and drugged driving decreased slightly in the past few years, from 14.6% to 13.2%, the problem is still enormous and steps need to be found to reduce it more, researchers say.
Rates of Drunk and Drugged Drivers Drop Slightly
The rate of drugged driving also dropped, from 4.8% of drivers in 2002-2005 to 4.3% in 2006-2009, according to the SAMHSA report. “Thousands of people die each year as a result of drunk and drugged driving, and the lives of family members and friends left behind are forever scarred,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, JD, says in a news release. “Some progress has been made in reducing the levels of drunk and drugged driving through education, enhanced law enforcement, and public outreach efforts.”
Still, she says, the nation “must continue to work to prevent this menace and confront these dangerous drivers in an aggressive way.”
Alarming Findings
Gil Kerlikowske, MA, director of National Drug Control Policy, says the survey reveals that “an alarmingly high percentage of Americans” drive with drugs in their systems.
“At a time when drug abuse is on the rise, it is crucial that communities act today to address the threat of drugged driving as we work to employ more targeted enforcement and develop better tools to detect the presence of drugs among drivers,” he says in the news release.
The national survey found significant differences in substance use and driving among the states.
READ FULL ARTICLE
Federal, local officials want to curb drunk driving this holiday season
With the holiday season quickly approaching, police are stepping up their efforts to fight drunk driving.
Monday, a high-ranking federal official announced a controversial new idea to crackdown on D-U-I loopholes.
It's being called a "No Refusal Strategy".
Federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is advising police officers to use a search warrant to quickly obtain blood tests from drivers who have refused a breathalyzer.
"This is not the time to rest on our laurels; the No Refusal Program represents an important weapon in the fight against drunk drivers," Secretary LaHood said.
The law supports the strategy in some 30 states, but most of them are not currently using the warrant initiative, officials said.
LaHood blames defense attorneys who counsel repeat offenders to avoid providing scientific evidence -- the results of a breath test -- that could help convict them when a drunken driving case comes to trial.
Charleston based defense attorney Mark. Peper says the policy brings up a flurry of legal and personal rights issues.
"You've got chain of custody issues, you've got training issues, this is a very scientific issue here, taking a blood sample, being able to dilute it, and read it...those are done by registered nurses and doctors." He said.
Peper says there are several mandates already in place to get drunk drivers off the streets - including a mandatory six month suspensions for drivers who refuse to be tested.
But those impacted by drunk drivers say the new idea could help.
Those impacted include People like Lisa Radvanski, a Columbia mother, who lost her son to drunken driving seven years ago.
"He went off the side of the road, over corrected - the car flipped and he was ejected," she said.
Radvanski now travels the state recounting the tragic circumstances of her son's death and urges everyone to think twice before getting behind the wheel.
When asked if law enforcement could do more to prevent drunk driving accidents and fatalities Radvanski said" I think they can. I think if you make a choice to break the law then you need to be willing to pay the consequences, you've got to be accountable for your actions."
Several states are currently testing the program with positive results.
DUI crackdowns begin in the low country and across the state this weekend.
SOURCE
Monday, a high-ranking federal official announced a controversial new idea to crackdown on D-U-I loopholes.
It's being called a "No Refusal Strategy".
Federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is advising police officers to use a search warrant to quickly obtain blood tests from drivers who have refused a breathalyzer.
"This is not the time to rest on our laurels; the No Refusal Program represents an important weapon in the fight against drunk drivers," Secretary LaHood said.
The law supports the strategy in some 30 states, but most of them are not currently using the warrant initiative, officials said.
LaHood blames defense attorneys who counsel repeat offenders to avoid providing scientific evidence -- the results of a breath test -- that could help convict them when a drunken driving case comes to trial.
Charleston based defense attorney Mark. Peper says the policy brings up a flurry of legal and personal rights issues.
"You've got chain of custody issues, you've got training issues, this is a very scientific issue here, taking a blood sample, being able to dilute it, and read it...those are done by registered nurses and doctors." He said.
Peper says there are several mandates already in place to get drunk drivers off the streets - including a mandatory six month suspensions for drivers who refuse to be tested.
But those impacted by drunk drivers say the new idea could help.
Those impacted include People like Lisa Radvanski, a Columbia mother, who lost her son to drunken driving seven years ago.
"He went off the side of the road, over corrected - the car flipped and he was ejected," she said.
Radvanski now travels the state recounting the tragic circumstances of her son's death and urges everyone to think twice before getting behind the wheel.
When asked if law enforcement could do more to prevent drunk driving accidents and fatalities Radvanski said" I think they can. I think if you make a choice to break the law then you need to be willing to pay the consequences, you've got to be accountable for your actions."
Several states are currently testing the program with positive results.
DUI crackdowns begin in the low country and across the state this weekend.
SOURCE
Friday, December 10, 2010
Cops begin annual campaign against drunk driving
Montclair law enforcement officials will be cracking down on drunk drivers as part of the annual holiday season "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" statewide campaign. Beginning Dec. 6, 2010 and running through Jan. 2, 2011, local and state law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.
A concentrated national effort, the campaign helps to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education tools, including posters, banners and mobile video display signs. Launched nationally in 1999, the program works to combat drink driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year.
"This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent," said Lt. Kenneth V. Miscia, Jr., Uniform/Traffic Bureau Commander. "This initiative brings attention to the serious consequences of drunk driving and the grave danger those who choose to drink and drive pose to all who share the road with them."
Last year in New Jersey, 185 people were killed as a result of alcohol-relates crashes. That number represents 31 percent of the 583 traffic fatalities reported in the state in 2009.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the Over the Limit, Under Arrest 2010 Holiday Crackdown offers the following advice:
• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity is held
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement. In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 on their cell phones to report a drunk driver.
• Always buckle-up, every ride. It's your best defense against an impaired driver.
• If you're intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.
Motorists are also asked to subscribe to the pledge of the Ensign John R. Elliot HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers: Drive sober, be a designated driver and don't let friends drive drunk. Under the effort, local business and community groups, law enforcement agencies, and schools work together to keep drunk drivers off the road. Started in New Jersey by the Elliot family following the tragic death of their son, John, in a head-on collision with a drunk driver, the campaign has become a national model for preventing drunk driving.
SOURCE
A concentrated national effort, the campaign helps to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education tools, including posters, banners and mobile video display signs. Launched nationally in 1999, the program works to combat drink driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year.
"This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent," said Lt. Kenneth V. Miscia, Jr., Uniform/Traffic Bureau Commander. "This initiative brings attention to the serious consequences of drunk driving and the grave danger those who choose to drink and drive pose to all who share the road with them."
Last year in New Jersey, 185 people were killed as a result of alcohol-relates crashes. That number represents 31 percent of the 583 traffic fatalities reported in the state in 2009.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the Over the Limit, Under Arrest 2010 Holiday Crackdown offers the following advice:
• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity is held
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement. In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 on their cell phones to report a drunk driver.
• Always buckle-up, every ride. It's your best defense against an impaired driver.
• If you're intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.
Motorists are also asked to subscribe to the pledge of the Ensign John R. Elliot HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers: Drive sober, be a designated driver and don't let friends drive drunk. Under the effort, local business and community groups, law enforcement agencies, and schools work together to keep drunk drivers off the road. Started in New Jersey by the Elliot family following the tragic death of their son, John, in a head-on collision with a drunk driver, the campaign has become a national model for preventing drunk driving.
SOURCE
Wisconsin leads US in drunken driving
A federal report released Thursday on drinking and driving offered good news and bad news regarding its prevalence in Wisconsin.
The number of Wisconsin drivers who reported operating while intoxicated fell by nearly 3 percent from a similar report released in 2008.
But Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in the percentage of drivers who take the wheel after drinking. Nearly one in four drivers admitted driving under the influence.
"This survey demonstrates Wisconsin has a long way to go to show drunk driving is not tolerable," said Frank Harris, a state policy specialist with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
The report, released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, says 23.7 percent of Wisconsin drivers surveyed acknowledged having driven under the influence within a year.
Nationally, the number of drivers who admitted driving under the influence fell from 14.6 percent in statistics compiled from 2002 to 2005 to 13.2 percent in the current survey, which covered 2006 through 2009.
Harris said Wisconsin's new drunken- driving law that took effect in July marked a step forward for the state.
The law created a felony charge for fourth-time drunken drivers and required use of ignition interlock devices for all drunken drivers, except first-time offenders with a blood-alcohol concentration of less than 0.15 percent. The law made first-offense drunken driving a misdemeanor when a child is in the vehicle.
MADD next year will push for Wisconsin to adopt sobriety checkpoints. The organization would like to see interlock devices for all drunken drivers. All first-time drunken-driving offenses should be crimes rather than traffic citations, Harris said.
Wisconsin was one of 10 states where 17 percent or more of those surveyed acknowledged driving under the influence.
It's not just the law that has to change, Harris said. It's also the culture.
Education has to continue.
Harris said there's still a misconception that having a beer at a Packers game would put a driver at risk for arrest.
Reaching the 0.08 percent threshold for drunken driving takes far more than that.
"It's not social drinking," he said. "It's binge drinking."
SOURCE
The number of Wisconsin drivers who reported operating while intoxicated fell by nearly 3 percent from a similar report released in 2008.
But Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in the percentage of drivers who take the wheel after drinking. Nearly one in four drivers admitted driving under the influence.
"This survey demonstrates Wisconsin has a long way to go to show drunk driving is not tolerable," said Frank Harris, a state policy specialist with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
The report, released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, says 23.7 percent of Wisconsin drivers surveyed acknowledged having driven under the influence within a year.
Nationally, the number of drivers who admitted driving under the influence fell from 14.6 percent in statistics compiled from 2002 to 2005 to 13.2 percent in the current survey, which covered 2006 through 2009.
Harris said Wisconsin's new drunken- driving law that took effect in July marked a step forward for the state.
The law created a felony charge for fourth-time drunken drivers and required use of ignition interlock devices for all drunken drivers, except first-time offenders with a blood-alcohol concentration of less than 0.15 percent. The law made first-offense drunken driving a misdemeanor when a child is in the vehicle.
MADD next year will push for Wisconsin to adopt sobriety checkpoints. The organization would like to see interlock devices for all drunken drivers. All first-time drunken-driving offenses should be crimes rather than traffic citations, Harris said.
Wisconsin was one of 10 states where 17 percent or more of those surveyed acknowledged driving under the influence.
It's not just the law that has to change, Harris said. It's also the culture.
Education has to continue.
Harris said there's still a misconception that having a beer at a Packers game would put a driver at risk for arrest.
Reaching the 0.08 percent threshold for drunken driving takes far more than that.
"It's not social drinking," he said. "It's binge drinking."
SOURCE
Sacramento Kings assistant coach arrested on suspicion of DUI
A Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving early Thursday morning.
California Highway Patrol pulled over Mario Elie, 47, around 1 a.m. on L Street and 15th Street in Downtown Sacramento for a broken tail light.
According to police reports, officers detected a strong alcohol odor coming from the vehicle, and Elie showed signs of intoxication.
Elie failed a field sobriety test and was booked into the Sacramento County Jail for drunk driving and has since been released.
He is an 11 year veteran of the National Basketball Association and 3 time NBA champion.
SOURCE
California Highway Patrol pulled over Mario Elie, 47, around 1 a.m. on L Street and 15th Street in Downtown Sacramento for a broken tail light.
According to police reports, officers detected a strong alcohol odor coming from the vehicle, and Elie showed signs of intoxication.
Elie failed a field sobriety test and was booked into the Sacramento County Jail for drunk driving and has since been released.
He is an 11 year veteran of the National Basketball Association and 3 time NBA champion.
SOURCE
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The lurking danger of driving while texting
Alex Brown was a young, pretty, West Texas teenage girl with a rich life ahead of her. A quick sequence of events led to her lying in a field - dying.
The 17-year-old's death just over a year ago led to a crusade by her parents to encourage students to buckle up and stop texting.
Jeanne and Johnny Mac Brown travel to high schools around Texas to spread the message, and Tuesday they stopped for an assembly at Navasota High School.
Alex Brown was a senior at Seagraves High School, which is about an hour and a half southwest of Lubbock. Brown was ranked second in her class, but her college credits would have moved her to valedictorian by the end of the year and she would have had enough credits to be a sophomore in college the day she graduated high school.
"She was a good kid," Jeanne told the students at Navasota. "She loved people, no matter who they were or what they were. Everybody loved her."
On Nov. 10, 2009, Alex was running late for one of her college classes because she spent too much time on Facebook that morning, Jeanne said. That led to Alex scrambling so she wouldn't be TOO late for class. She took the more dangerous route to school - the route her parents always discouraged her to take.
Alex didn't buckle her seat belt. And then, while simultaneously carrying on text message conversations with four different friends, her pick-up truck spun out of control and crashed. Alex was thrown from her vehicle into a field. She just laid there, fading into consciousness and back out again, quickly leaving this world.
The state trooper who investigated that accident said that Alex was driving 70 miles per hour before she spun.
The Brown family followed Alex to an emergency room in Lubbock, where Alex died shortly thereafter.
The cell phone was still in the truck - and it still worked. Friends who had heard about the wreck continued to send messages to the phone. Those messages said to hang in there, and that they would come visit her in the hospital. Jeanne held Alex's phone up during Tuesday's assembly for the students to see.
SOURCE
The 17-year-old's death just over a year ago led to a crusade by her parents to encourage students to buckle up and stop texting.
Jeanne and Johnny Mac Brown travel to high schools around Texas to spread the message, and Tuesday they stopped for an assembly at Navasota High School.
Alex Brown was a senior at Seagraves High School, which is about an hour and a half southwest of Lubbock. Brown was ranked second in her class, but her college credits would have moved her to valedictorian by the end of the year and she would have had enough credits to be a sophomore in college the day she graduated high school.
"She was a good kid," Jeanne told the students at Navasota. "She loved people, no matter who they were or what they were. Everybody loved her."
On Nov. 10, 2009, Alex was running late for one of her college classes because she spent too much time on Facebook that morning, Jeanne said. That led to Alex scrambling so she wouldn't be TOO late for class. She took the more dangerous route to school - the route her parents always discouraged her to take.
Alex didn't buckle her seat belt. And then, while simultaneously carrying on text message conversations with four different friends, her pick-up truck spun out of control and crashed. Alex was thrown from her vehicle into a field. She just laid there, fading into consciousness and back out again, quickly leaving this world.
The state trooper who investigated that accident said that Alex was driving 70 miles per hour before she spun.
The Brown family followed Alex to an emergency room in Lubbock, where Alex died shortly thereafter.
The cell phone was still in the truck - and it still worked. Friends who had heard about the wreck continued to send messages to the phone. Those messages said to hang in there, and that they would come visit her in the hospital. Jeanne held Alex's phone up during Tuesday's assembly for the students to see.
SOURCE
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Troop F, MADD partner to fight drunken driving
Louisiana State Police Troop F and Mothers Against Drunk Driving announced Wednesday they have teamed up to warn others about the dangers of impaired driving.
As part of the collaboration, a Christmas tree was set up at Troop F's headquarters, adorned with pictures of victims of collisions with impaired drivers from around the state and MADD ribbons.
Troop F commander Capt. Kevin Reeves said the idea sprung from a decoration at state police headquarters in Baton Rouge.
"When I was down there about two years ago, I saw this tree in their lobby with pictures all over it," Reeves said.
Reeves said a fellow trooper he was visiting with at the time stood before the tree, looking into the eyes of the people in the pictures for about five minutes.
"He said, 'Do you know who these people are?'" Reeves said. "It's a reminder of why we do what we do. I thought it was a good idea."
Reeves said troopers contacted the local MADD chapter to discuss the matter.
"I take the time to walk in and look into these people's eyes every day," Reeves said. "And I want our troopers to do the same."
Gail Dupuy, the mother of one person depicted on the tree, knows from personal experience how impaired drivers can affect others. Her daughter, Leigh Ann Carlton, a 2001 graduate of Ouachita Parish High School, died in an crash with an impaired driver in July 2001.
READ FULL ARTICLE
As part of the collaboration, a Christmas tree was set up at Troop F's headquarters, adorned with pictures of victims of collisions with impaired drivers from around the state and MADD ribbons.
Troop F commander Capt. Kevin Reeves said the idea sprung from a decoration at state police headquarters in Baton Rouge.
"When I was down there about two years ago, I saw this tree in their lobby with pictures all over it," Reeves said.
Reeves said a fellow trooper he was visiting with at the time stood before the tree, looking into the eyes of the people in the pictures for about five minutes.
"He said, 'Do you know who these people are?'" Reeves said. "It's a reminder of why we do what we do. I thought it was a good idea."
Reeves said troopers contacted the local MADD chapter to discuss the matter.
"I take the time to walk in and look into these people's eyes every day," Reeves said. "And I want our troopers to do the same."
Gail Dupuy, the mother of one person depicted on the tree, knows from personal experience how impaired drivers can affect others. Her daughter, Leigh Ann Carlton, a 2001 graduate of Ouachita Parish High School, died in an crash with an impaired driver in July 2001.
READ FULL ARTICLE
Ex-baseball player to be sentenced in drunk driving case
Former Yankee and World Series hero Jim Leyritz will be sentenced Thursday afternoon for a drunk driving conviction.
A south Florida jury found Leyritz guilty of driving drunk in November but he was acquitted of a more serious charge of manslaughter.
The ex-baseball player could still face a maximum of six months in prison, but that's far short of the 15 years he could have faced for hitting and killing 30-year-old Freida Veitch while driving drunk.
Leyritz was emotional when the verdict was read on November 20. After hearing the verdict he walked over and thanked jurors.
According to court documents, the incident began as a 2007 nighttime celebration for Leyritz, who was ringing in his 44th birthday with friends in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bars.
While driving a friend home shortly after 3 a.m. on December 28, 2007, his red 2006 Ford Expedition hit Veitch's vehicle. She was thrown from her dark green 2000 Mitsubishi Montero.
READ MORE
A south Florida jury found Leyritz guilty of driving drunk in November but he was acquitted of a more serious charge of manslaughter.
The ex-baseball player could still face a maximum of six months in prison, but that's far short of the 15 years he could have faced for hitting and killing 30-year-old Freida Veitch while driving drunk.
Leyritz was emotional when the verdict was read on November 20. After hearing the verdict he walked over and thanked jurors.
According to court documents, the incident began as a 2007 nighttime celebration for Leyritz, who was ringing in his 44th birthday with friends in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bars.
While driving a friend home shortly after 3 a.m. on December 28, 2007, his red 2006 Ford Expedition hit Veitch's vehicle. She was thrown from her dark green 2000 Mitsubishi Montero.
READ MORE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)