A Story: Michelle was involved in a serious accident at an Orange County intersection. Witnesses reported that Michelle caused the accident when she ran a red light. The occupant of the vehicle Michelle hit was killed. Michelle was injured and transported by ambulance to the hospital. At the hospital, a…
Whether you think this is a good thing or another step towards a “Big Brother” future, there is an effort to make drunk driving detection a standard feature in all new cars. New technologies allow impaired driving detection through sensors that can monitor the driver’s eye movement as well as…
The holidays are upon us – don’t ruin your merriment by driving under the influence. Now is the time to consider your plans. Do you have a designated driver? Is ride sharing an option? Or how about resolving not to drink more than one drink (or none is better) at…
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 13,384 people died in drunk driving related incidents in 2021 (the latest year for which the statistic is available). This number, according to the NHTSA, represents one-third of all traffic-related fatalities and equates to approximately 37 individuals who die per day…
If you have been arrested for a DUI in California, you may be wondering if the police can search your vehicle. The answer is not always straightforward. In general, the police can only search your vehicle if they have probable cause to believe that the search will yield evidence of…
If you are convicted on a DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs) violation in California, you will be required to attend DUI classes as part of your sentence. The court may also order additional terms of your DUI probation such as attending AA meetings or community service.…
For over four years now in California, ignition interlock installations are required after an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol (even for first-time offenses) if the driver wants to avoid a temporary suspension of his or her license to drive and mandatory for almost all D.U.I. convictions. The…
In California, a first-time driving under the influence (DUI) is a misdemeanor offense. However, there are a few exceptions where even a first time DUI may be charged as a felony. Under Vehicle Code section 23550.5, subdivision (b) a conviction for a first time DUI within a ten-year period can…
A DUI arrest may surprise the casual drinker. That happened to my client Linda. She is not a big drinker but several years ago she had two glasses of wine while out to dinner. She drank those glasses over the hour-long dinner and thought she was fine to drive. She…
Is driving while high on marijuana as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol? Obviously, how much alcohol or marijuana matters. A driver who has a .19 blood alcohol content (BAC) is almost certainly going to be a more dangerous driver than someone who took two hits of marijuana.…