August 10, 2012 (Press-News.org) July 2012 marks the one year anniversary of Minnesota's DWI ignition interlock program. An ignition interlock is a device affixed to a vehicle that will not allow it to start unless the driver provides a breath sample and his or her blood alcohol level registers below a preset limit (in Minnesota, 0.02, the equivalent of about one drink). Ignition interlocks also require drivers to provide periodic breath samples while operating their vehicles.
A first-time DWI offense at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16 or above and all repeat DWI offenses are very serious under Minnesota law. Part of the punishment for these offenses is the loss of your driver's license for one year or more. However, since July 1, 2011, Minnesotans charged with a DWI have been able to regain their driving privileges much more quickly by agreeing to the use of an ignition interlock.
In the first year of Minnesota's statewide ignition interlock program, 2,796 DWI offenders took advantage of it and were able to regain early legal driving privileges.
Officials are hopeful that Minnesota's ignition interlock program will continue to be successful into its second year. As the program matures, authorities are also stepping up DWI enforcement; a law enforcement crackdown was scheduled in July to commemorate the one year anniversary of the ignition interlock program.
July also marks the closing of a legal loophole that may mean more drivers installing ignition interlocks. Formerly, a first time DWI offender arrested with an alcohol concentration (AC) between 0.16 and 0.199 could plead guilty and get his or her driver's license back in just 30 days without having to apply for the ignition interlock program. But, according to the Department of Public Safety, this was actually an oversight in the original law. It has since been rectified in the 2012 Transportation Omnibus bill, and first time DWI offenders with a high AC arrested after June 30, 2012 will now have no options beyond an ignition interlock to regain their driving privileges.
A DWI charge is difficult to overcome if you cannot drive afterwards -- work, school, family obligations, even day-to-day chores can be all but impossible without transportation. But, Minnesota's ignition interlock program is one tool that can help you get over a DWI. Call a Minnesota DWI attorney today to learn more about the ignition interlock program and how it might play into a successful drunk driving defense.
Article provided by Keller Law Offices
Visit us at www.dwi-legal.com
Minnesota Ignition Interlock Program Turns One, Highlights DWI Laws
The ignition interlock program has been in full swing in the North Star State for over a year now. Learn more about the program, and how it is evolving as new tweaks go into effect.
2012-08-10
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Proposed Legislation Would Increase Penalties for Some Sex Offenses
2012-08-10
If passed by Congress, the Child Protection Act of 2012 ("the Act") will increase the legal ramifications of convictions for sex-related offenses involving children under the age of 12. This legislation was introduced to combat the ever-increasing volume of pornographic images and videos of children posted and shared on the Internet; Internet exploitation of children is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country, rising an estimated 150 percent annually.
What Is the Act?
House Bill 6063 was introduced by Representatives Lamar Smith and Debbie Wasserman ...
Ban on Sex Offenders Using Internet Ruled Unconstitutional
2012-08-10
Louisiana Federal District Court Judge Brian Jackson ruled a state statute that prohibited sex offenders from using Internet sites is unconstitutional.
The court found the law overbroad, in that it banned sex offenders who had completed the terms of their sentence from accessing virtually all Internet sites, including court websites.
A political science professor Tao Dumas discussing the decision in The Daily Reveille phrased the issue as, "Does your ability to use the Internet constitute speech, and is it protected under the First Amendment?"
Vagueness
A ...
Holding on to Health Insurance During Divorce in California
2012-08-10
A decision to initiate the divorce process can depend on many factors, including a person's awareness of his or her legal rights. Depending on a couple's circumstances, complex factors may come into play that cause a spouse to worry about his or her financial independence.
The ability to retain health insurance coverage through divorce or legal separation is a common concern of family law clients. Many spouses who are covered by their husband's or wife's employer-provided medical benefits policy are naturally concerned about their options after the divorce is final.
For ...
Not All Divorces Are the Same: Fully Explore Your Options
2012-08-10
Have you and your spouse simply grown apart, amicable and courteous toward one another but no longer in love? Or, are you constantly at each other's throats, barely able to be in the same room together? Believe it or not, the answers to questions like these can steer the legal course of your divorce toward one of several alternatives.
Avoid Do-It-Yourself Divorce
If you and your former partner still get along famously, you may wonder why you need to get attorneys involved at all -- but experts strongly caution against do-it-yourself divorce. Even if you have no children ...
Improperly Guarded Machinery Can Cost Workers Life and Limb
2012-08-10
Any machinery with gears, pulleys, belts, blades, saws, chains, rollers, flywheels, spindles or other parts that rotate, reciprocate, transverse, cut, punch, shear, grind or bend run the risk of seriously injuring or killing the employees who use them. Common injuries involve crushed fingers, hands and limbs that can result in amputation. Not only do these unfortunate situations cause irreparable injuries, but also expose the employer to liability and fines.
From its 2005 annual survey, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 8,450 non-fatal amputation cases. To ...
Full Knowledge of Legal Consequences Doesn't Stop Teens From Sexting
2012-08-10
Sending a sexually explicit photo via a cell phone can have serious and long term consequences -- but that isn't stopping teens from doing it, according to new research.
A new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that almost a third of high school students have sent sexually explicit messages using a cell phone. This represents a significant rise compared to previous studies. Out of a diverse panel of nearly 1,000 students, 28 percent reported having sent a "sext" and 31 percent said they had requested one from someone ...
Federal Study Finds Motorcycle Deaths Are Not Decreasing
2012-08-10
A recent Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA) report has determined that motorcycle traffic fatality rates remained stagnant between 2010 and 2011, despite a decrease in traffic fatalities for all motor vehicles. The question inspired most directly by these results is "why are fatal motorcycle accidents not decreasing?"
The GHSA study examined statistics from all states between 2010 and 2011. While some states, like Connecticut and New York experienced decreases in motorcycle accident fatalities--by 37 percent and 16 percent, respectively--others ...
Probate Attorneys Help Guide Families Through Estate Planning Process
2012-08-10
We usually don't spend much time pondering our passing. However, it is important to consider this in order to make sure our families and loved ones are taken care of after our death.
Estate planning is the process of protecting our assets and ensuring our property is distributed in the way we intend following our death. There are various types of wills and trusts that can be tailored to fit just about any situation. An experienced probate and estate planning lawyer will help your family map out an estate strategy.
What is Your Estate?
An estate basically consists ...
Young Father Awarded $20,181,484 in Damages After Undergoing 28 Surgeries for Injuries Suffered from Accident on Dangerous Roadway
2012-08-10
On the evening of March 11, 2007, Slim Zouaoui was driving home to his wife and newborn son never imagining that his life would never again be the same. As he was traveling on Route 6 in the Town of Somers, New York, Mr. Zouaoui and another vehicle encountered an icing condition on the roadway, resulting in a head-on collision that demolished both vehicles. Since the accident, Slim Zouaoui, an extremely active 32 year old IT prodigy, has seen his life irreparably altered. An ensuing lawsuit against the State of New York revealed that state officials were well aware of this ...
Take Care of Estate Planning Before Your Divorce is Final
2012-08-10
How should divorcing couples address estate planning? There are many things to do when going through a divorce, and even the most amicable couples may be tempted to put off dealing with wills, life insurance and other aspects of estate planning. However, if at all possible, don't succumb to this temptation, as anything could happen. Your children or a new spouse could be left with much less than you intended because you died before changing your estate plan.
Estate Planning Issues During and After Divorce
Here are some things you should think about as you go through ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
How rice plants tell head from toe during early growth
Scientists design solar-responsive biochar that accelerates environmental cleanup
Construction of a localized immune niche via supramolecular hydrogel vaccine to elicit durable and enhanced immunity against infectious diseases
Deep learning-based discovery of tetrahydrocarbazoles as broad-spectrum antitumor agents and click-activated strategy for targeted cancer therapy
DHL-11, a novel prieurianin-type limonoid isolated from Munronia henryi, targeting IMPDH2 to inhibit triple-negative breast cancer
Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibitors and RIPK1 inhibitors with synergistic antiviral efficacy in a mouse COVID-19 model
Neg-entropy is the true drug target for chronic diseases
Oxygen-boosted dual-section microneedle patch for enhanced drug penetration and improved photodynamic and anti-inflammatory therapy in psoriasis
Early TB treatment reduced deaths from sepsis among people with HIV
Palmitoylation of Tfr1 enhances platelet ferroptosis and liver injury in heat stroke
Structure-guided design of picomolar-level macrocyclic TRPC5 channel inhibitors with antidepressant activity
Therapeutic drug monitoring of biologics in inflammatory bowel disease: An evidence-based multidisciplinary guidelines
New global review reveals integrating finance, technology, and governance is key to equitable climate action
New study reveals cyanobacteria may help spread antibiotic resistance in estuarine ecosystems
Around the world, children’s cooperative behaviors and norms converge toward community-specific norms in middle childhood, Boston College researchers report
How cultural norms shape childhood development
University of Phoenix research finds AI-integrated coursework strengthens student learning and career skills
Next generation genetics technology developed to counter the rise of antibiotic resistance
Ochsner Health hospitals named Best-in-State 2026
A new window into hemodialysis: How optical sensors could make treatment safer
High-dose therapy had lasting benefits for infants with stroke before or soon after birth
‘Energy efficiency’ key to mountain birds adapting to changing environmental conditions
Scientists now know why ovarian cancer spreads so rapidly in the abdomen
USF Health launches nation’s first fully integrated institute for voice, hearing and swallowing care and research
Why rethinking wellness could help students and teachers thrive
Seabirds ingest large quantities of pollutants, some of which have been banned for decades
When Earth’s magnetic field took its time flipping
Americans prefer to screen for cervical cancer in-clinic vs. at home
Rice lab to help develop bioprinted kidneys as part of ARPA-H PRINT program award
Researchers discover ABCA1 protein’s role in releasing molecular brakes on solid tumor immunotherapy
[Press-News.org] Minnesota Ignition Interlock Program Turns One, Highlights DWI LawsThe ignition interlock program has been in full swing in the North Star State for over a year now. Learn more about the program, and how it is evolving as new tweaks go into effect.