Florida Probate Attorney

Driving Under the Influence

Posted on 26. Feb, 2010 by Admin in Uncategorized

Driving under the influence (DUI) is a legal term used when a person is intoxicated or impaired after consuming alcohol or drugs while operating a motor vehicle. This greatly increases the risk of car accidents, highway injuries, and vehicular deaths. It is common knowledge that the greater the amount of alcohol consumed by a person will pose a greater likelihood of being involved in a vehicular accident.

Accident Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on average, a police-reported motor vehicle crash occurs every 5 seconds; a person injured every 11 seconds; and a person killed every 12 minutes.  In 2006, approximately 17, 600 people died in car accidents that involved alcohol. In that same year, over 1.46 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This accounted for 32 percent of all automobile fatalities for that year alone.

Intoxication Level

A driver’s intoxication level is determined by his or her blood alcohol content (BAC). This measures the concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream. In the field of traffic safety, BAC is expressed as the percentage of alcohol in deciliters of blood – for example, 0.08 percent (i.e., 0.08 grams per deciliter). Each state in the United States has its own legal blood alcohol limit for driving. The legal percentages range from as low as 0.02% to as high as 0.08%. It is considered illegal to drive anywhere in the United States with a BAC of 0.08% or higher.

DUI Laws in Louisiana and Possible Legal Consequences

Louisiana law states that anyone over 21 years old and with a BAC of .08% is legally drunk. And if under the age of 21 years, you are legally drunk with a BAC of only .02%.

• Driving privileges suspended
• Mandatory jail time
• Fines of up to $1000 or more
• Possible loss of vehicle
• Possible home confinement
• Mandatory substance abuse program

If you or someone you love has been driving under the influence and you need assistance, it is best to seek legal help immediately from a qualified lawyer who can review your case and help determine the course of action to take.

The information found on this site is not intended to replace legal advice.

Additional Legal Resource: For more information on DUI in New Orleans, Louisiana, please visit Bloomlegal.com

Tags: drunk driving, lousiana dui, new orleans lawyer