March 15, 2013 (Press-News.org) In an attempt to decrease the number of driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) violations in the state, Tennessee legislators are considering tougher laws at the urging of a number of state senators and the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers organization. One of the biggest changes the proposed law may bring to those convicted of drunk driving concerns ignition interlock devices.
What is an ignition interlock device
An ignition interlock device operates like a mini-breathalyzer for a person's car. In vehicles that have such devices, the driver must blow into a tube connected to the device in order to start the car. If the device detects alcohol on the driver's breath, the car will not start. Additionally, the interlock system requires that the driver blow into the device tube at random times while the vehicle is in motion.
If the device registers the presence of alcohol on the first attempt to start the car, the driver must wait 30 minutes before trying again. A second attempt that detects alcohol shuts down the car until the device is replaced or reset by a certified installer. This process can take days, leaving the driver without a means of transportation.
How will the law change?
As of January 1, 2011, Tennessee law requires the following people to purchase and install ignition interlock devices if they want to have their driving rights reinstated after a suspension:
- Those convicted of DUI offenses with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of 0.15 or higher
- Those who have received multiple DUI or DWI convictions
First-time offenders are subject to stiff penalties such as:
- Jail time of over 360 days
- Fines as high as $1,500
- Driver's license suspension of one year
- Community service
The proposed law will require ignition interlock devices for all people convicted of drunk driving in the state, not just repeat offenders or those who had high BAC levels.
Adding on the expense of an ignition interlock system drastically raises the bar for those convicted of a DUI or DWI. Many rely on their vehicles to earn a living and the added expense of the device makes the cost of an occupational license -- a license that permits driving with conditions -- prohibitive. Installation of the devices can be expensive and monthly fees and testing costs are also required from those who are required to have them -- a total cost which can exceed $1,500.
Help is available
A drunk driving conviction can carry serious consequences for Tennessee drivers. If you have been arrested for DUI or DWI, consult an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can ensure that your rights are protected.
Article provided by Brent Horst, Attorney at Law & Associates
Visit us at www.brenthorstlaw.com
New Tennessee laws may add more penalties for drunk driving convictions
Tennessee legislators are considering new DUI laws that will require ignition interlock devices for all people convicted of drunk driving, not just repeat offenders or those who had high BAC levels.
2013-03-15
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Coal mining: still one of West Virginia's most dangerous jobs
2013-03-15
Coal mining has been a vital part of West Virginia's economy for generations. Many of today's mineworkers are the descendants of those who toiled long ago for the coal that keeps our state running. Technology has improved mine conditions greatly, making it safer than the miners of yesteryear ever could have dreamed. That being said, though, coal mining is still one of the state's - even the country's - most dangerous jobs.
Four men have already lost their lives in mining accidents in 2013, prompting public inquiry and government inspections into the condition of the ...
Drugged driving on rise in Phoenix
2013-03-15
Many motorists are familiar with the laws regarding drunk driving. If they plan on drinking, they know they need to find a designated driver or another way to get home safely. The harsh penalties for a DUI conviction have made an impression on Arizona drivers.
When people think about DUI, many of them immediately connect the offense to alcohol. While this makes up the majority of DUI arrests and convictions, arrests for driving under the influence of drugs are starting to increase drastically in Arizona.
According to the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety ...
Injury and property damage risks from Marcellus Shale drilling
2013-03-15
The Marcellus Shale formation stretches across almost 100,000 square miles of the northeastern U.S., including West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. Estimates are that the formation contains as much as 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
A method called fracking has allowed drilling companies to reach previously inaccessible deposits. Pumping a mixture of water, chemicals and sand into the shale breaks up rock releasing the gas trapped inside. West Virginia and Pennsylvania have been at the center of the drilling boom.
West Virginia accident takes the ...
Truck Accidents, Truck Driving Laws and Safety on the Road
2013-03-15
It is estimated that every 16 minutes a truck accident occurs in the United States. Did you know that according to the U.S. Department of Transportation approximately 7% of vehicles on the road are trucks, while approximately 13% of automobile accident fatalities involve trucks? In other words, based solely on the number of vehicles on the road, a truck accident is nearly twice as likely to occur as a car accident. Because of the tremendous size and weight of a truck as compared to that of a car, the injuries to the car driver can often be catastrophic and include paralysis, ...
Truck Accidents and Personal Injury Attorneys
2013-03-15
Often, the responsibility for causing a truck accident belongs to trucking companies that overwork and under-train their employees. Regardless of the level of responsibility held by employers, the personal responsibility of the driver cannot be ignored.
Weather, road conditions, and vehicular malfunction are just a few factors, aside from human error, that contribute to the amount of truck accidents occurring each year. Still, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it is ten times more likely that the driver of the truck is responsible ...
New Trucking Regulation: Reducing the Number of Truck Accidents and Re-Thinking Legal Responsibility
2013-03-15
Truck accidents are a major cause of injuries (from light head, neck and back injury to brain injury, scarring and disfigurement, paralysis, loss of limbs, and death); much more dangerous than may be realized. Due to a truck's massive size and enormous weight and power, the slightest mistake by the driver poses a much greater risk to other motorists and pedestrians than other motor vehicle accidents. Further, truck accidents often occur on highways where speed limits are higher. The combination of high speeds and extreme weight contribute to the force of impact involved ...
The Defendant Destroyed the Evidence, So What Can I Do?
2013-03-15
When personal injury clients consult with a Chicago injury attorney claiming that they were injured by an object, product or other property the first question they are asked is who possesses the item that caused the injury. Often the answer will be I do not know or it was thrown away.
Illinois law recognizes a principal called "Spoliation of Evidence" which is a form of negligence. If a defendant destroys physical evidence which the plaintiff needs to prove his case, the law provides relief under the following special circumstances:
Where the defendant ...
Can Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Other Social Media Sites Destroy Your Personal Injury or Workers' Compensation Claim?
2013-03-15
When clients hire Chicago injury attorneys to represent them in auto accident, workers compensation, and medical malpractice claims, they often fail to realize that the filing of a lawsuit turns their lives into an open book.
Perhaps a worker claims that as a result of an injury to their leg they can never work again? They sit for a deposition or other interview under oath describing the pain and suffering they continue to sustain and their inability to run or engage in other physical activities. At the same time they post statements, photographs or video on their social ...
Witness Testifies at Trial Using "Skype"
2013-03-15
The Illinois Supreme Court recently amended its rules to permitting personal injury attorneys and others to serve legal documents using e-mail. Most Chicago injury attorneys welcome this time and expense saving tool. These attorneys typically work on a contingent fee basis where "time is money". Rather than wait days for "snail mail" to be delivered the internet shortens the time frame to "now".
For the first time a trial court has permitted the testimony a party to a lawsuit to occur using the popular internet video conferencing program ...
Personal Injury Lawyers Slam Unfair Government Proposals
2013-03-15
Government-led proposals to force personal injury cases to be decided in the small claims court have been slammed by lawyers throughout the UK. Now, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers has declared the proposed moves to be unfair and have questioned whether the Government has taken the interests of the victims into consideration.
The President of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, Karl Tonks, revealed:
"Government proposals to force claims through the small claims court will result in injured people on their own in court against a defendant insurer. ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find
Study reveals most common medical emergencies in schools
Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks
Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems
Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions
Achieving 20% efficiency in halogen-free organic solar cells via isomeric additive-mediated sequential processing
New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture
The most effective diabetes drugs don't reach enough patients yet
Breast cancer risk in younger women may be influenced by hormone therapy
Strategies for staying smoke-free after rehab
Commentary questions the potential benefit of levothyroxine treatment of mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy
Study projects over 14 million preventable deaths by 2030 if USAID defunding continues
New study reveals 33% gap in transplant access for UK’s poorest children
Dysregulated epigenetic memory in early embryos offers new clues to the inheritance of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
IVF and IUI pregnancy rates remain stable across Europe, despite an increasing uptake of single embryo transfer
It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections
From lab to market: how renewable polymers could transform medicine
Striking increase in obesity observed among youth between 2011 and 2023
No evidence that medications trigger microscopic colitis in older adults
NYUAD researchers find link between brain growth and mental health disorders
Aging-related inflammation is not universal across human populations, new study finds
University of Oregon to create national children’s mental health center with $11 million federal grant
Rare achievement: UTA undergrad publishes research
Fact or fiction? The ADHD info dilemma
Genetic ancestry linked to risk of severe dengue
Genomes reveal the Norwegian lemming as one of the youngest mammal species
Early birds get the burn: Monash study finds early bedtimes associated with more physical activity
Groundbreaking analysis provides day-by-day insight into prehistoric plankton’s capacity for change
Southern Ocean saltier, hotter and losing ice fast as decades-long trend unexpectedly reverses
Human fishing reshaped Caribbean reef food webs, 7000-year old exposed fossilized reefs reveal
[Press-News.org] New Tennessee laws may add more penalties for drunk driving convictionsTennessee legislators are considering new DUI laws that will require ignition interlock devices for all people convicted of drunk driving, not just repeat offenders or those who had high BAC levels.