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California DUI Checkpoints Generate Revenue For Local Governments

topgundui — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:52:00 +0000

According to the Orange County Register, a study done for the year 2009 by Investigative Reporting Program at University of California-Berkely with California Watch found that more cars are seized than DUI / Drunk Driving arrests are made. Impounding of cars generated approximately $40,000,000 in towing fees and police fines. This revenue is divided by cities and towing firms. Police officers received about $30,000,000 in overtime pay for the extra DUI / Drunk Driving enforcement. Also, during 2009, police seized more than 24,000 vehicles at checkpoints. This represents an increase of 53% from 2007. Apparently, DUI / Drunk Driving sobriety checkpoints result in the discovery of thousands of unlicensed drivers in the state of California.

Maryland Seeking To Install Yellow Plates For 3rd Time DUI / Drunk Driving Offenders

topgundui — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:21:34 +0000

A Maryland State Delegate will introduce a bill in the Maryland General Assembly that will require 3rd time DUI / Drunk Driving offenders to install an identifying yellow license plate on their vehicles for 5 years. This concept repeatedly surfaces in many states over the years, including California, but rarely gets passed into law. While I’m sure the intentions of the politicians are good, the potential negative unintended consequences usually win out and the legislation doesn’t get passed. Some of the unintended consequences are that other family members who drive a repeat offender’s auto will be held up to ridicule, vehicle code violations of an auto driven with the special license plates with result in large numbers of 911 calls and distractions from the special plates will create dangerous conditions for other drivers.

Driver Reports Herself For DUI / Drunk Driving

topgundui — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:28:54 +0000

A several months ago, a woman from Neilsville, Wisconsin, called 911 and reported herself as a DUI / Drunk Driver. The driver followed the dispatcher’s direction to pull over to the side of the road and turn on her flashers. When the police officers arrived, the woman was investigated and arrested for DUI / Drunk Driving. Apparently, her breath alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit for Wisconsin. The arrest occurred in a rural area of Wisconsin, about three miles northeast of Neilsville which is located in Central Wisconsin. When the driver was asked by the dispatcher if she was behing the DUI / Drunk Driver, she actually informed the dispatcher that she was infact the DUI / Drunk Driver!

Ireland May Lower Alcohol Level to .05% For DUI / Drunk Driving

topgundui — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:51:55 +0000

Ireland is considering lowering the legal limit to .05% (California is set at .08% for DUI / Drunk Driving) alcohol in drivers blood who drink and drive. In addition, the law would lower the legal limit to .02% for drivers who are learning to drive, underage, and professional drivers. However, many of the studies used to support this proposed law have come into question as the studies can not be substantiated. However, the law, if passed, could not be implemented until at least 2011 because the DUI / Drunk Driving breath testing machines used in Ireland are either outdated or not properly calibrated for the new proposed level. It would take a male weighing 150 lbs. to have 2 1/2 drinks in his system to be a .05. A women weighing 120 lbs. can be a .05 with just one drink.

2010 New Year’s Holiday DUI / Drunk Driving Arrests Rise

topgundui — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:24:29 +0000

The California Highway Patrol arrested 1,252 drivers for DUI / Drunk Driving throughout the state of California between the hours of 6 p.m., December 31, 2009 and 6 a.m. January 3, 2010. This is compared to 986 drivers arrested during the same time period last year. This amounts to an increase in arrests of almost 27% over last year. In Los Angeles County alone, the CHP arrested 241 drivers for DUI / Drunk Driving during the same period of time. During last year’s New Year’s Holiday period, the CHP arrested 202 drivers for DUI / Drunk Driving. This year’s number of arrests by the CHP in Los Angeles county resulted in an increase of over 19% compared to last year. I’m quite sure most, if not all, police agencies will have a dramatic increase in the number of DUI / Drunk Driving arrests this year compared to last year.

San Diego Releases Inmates Based On Faulty Lab Results

topgundui — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:18:21 +0000

As I blogged about a while back, faulty lab results were discovered in toxicology reports on blood and urine tests from a private company contracted with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Toxicology labs routine test for alcohol and drugs in DUI / Drunk Driving cases. The county originally thought only a few cases may be affected. However, officials ordered a review of 675 cases dating from March, 2009 through December, 2009. So far, 11 people have been released from Vista jail as a result of the review. Hundreds of more cases are still under review. The private lab notified the Sheriff’s department last summer as a result of an inexperienced lab worker. The San Diego Sheriff’s Department no longer uses the services of the private lab. It has yet to be determined how many DUI / Drunk Driving cases have been affected.

Movement In California To 3 Strikes In DUI / Drunk Driving Convictions

topgundui — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:20:52 +0000

On December 30, 2009, a bill was introduced in the California Assmebly to permanently revoke the drivers’ licenses of third time convicted drunk drivers. The bill would eliminate the current 10 year prior period and change it to life time. It would also give judges discretion to revoke the driver’s license for any person convicted for a third DUI / Drunk Driving charge even if the prior offenses occured over 20 years ago when DUI / Drunk Driving was not considered as serious as it has become. People who pled guilty many years ago had no knowledge that by doing so, the convictions may come back haunt them 20 to 30 years later.

2010 New Year’s Eve CHP DUI / Drunk Driving Rise From Last Year

topgundui — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:13:58 +0000

According to the Orange County Register, the California Highway Patrol arrested 527 people for DUI / Drunk Driving between 6 p.m. December 31, 2009 and 6 a.m. January 1, 2010. This is an increase of over 20% compared to last year when the California Highway Patrol arrested 438 people for DUI / Drunk Driving during the same period of time. In Los Angeles County, the California Highway Patrol arrested 108 people for DUI / Drunk Driving this year compared to 88 people arrested last year. This represents an increase of almost 23% of DUI / Drunk Driving arrests by the California Highway Patrol compared to the same period of time last year. As I said previously, look for a substantial increase in DUI / Drunk Driving arrests this New Year’s Holiday weekend by local police agencies throughout Los Angeles County.

Over 1400 People Arrested For DUI / Drunk Driving In LA County During 2009 Christmas Holiday

topgundui — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:55:47 +0000

According to the LA Times, 1,424 people were arrested for DUI / Drunk Driving in Los Angeles County between December 18 and December 26, 2009. The number of DUI / Drunk Driving arrests during the same period in 2008 was 1,416. Of the total number of arrests in Los Angeles County, the California Highway Patrol arrested 236 people for DUI / Drunk Driving. I’m pretty confident that since the number of DUI / Drunk Driving arrests were almost the same from 2008 to 2009, there will be a much greater increase in the number of arrests during the New Year’s Holiday weekend. Almost all police agencies are showing a dramatic increase from last year and I’m sure police agencies in Los Angeles County will not want to lag behind the rest of the state.

California CHP DUI / Drunk Driving Arrests Up On Christmas Eve 2009

topgundui — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:35:25 +0000

According to the LA Times, the California Highway Patrol arrested 246 people for DUI / Drunk Driving statewide on Christmas Eve, 2009. On Christmas Eve, 2008, the CHP arrested 167 people for DUI / Drunk Driving. This represents a 47% increase in Christmas Eve DUI / Drunk Driving arrests from 2008 to 2009. In Los Angeles County, the CHP arrested 71 people for DUI / Drunk Driving on Christmas Eve, 2009, compared to 30 people arrested for DUI / Drunk Driving on Christmas Eve, 2008. This represents a whopping 136% increase in Christmas Eve DUI / Drunk Driving arrests from 2008 to 2009. It wouldn’t suprise me that for the upcoming New Year’s Eve, there is even a greater increase in DUI / Drunk Driving arrests by the CHP compared to New’s Year Eve, 2008, both statewide as well as in LA County.