In 2011, 11,889 individuals were arrested for violating DUI Laws in the State of Iowa, and there were 82 fatal alcohol-impaired crashes. That’s 2.7 preventable, driving under the influence-related fatalities for every 100,000 people.
Over the past decade, the number of DUI fatalities has dropped by 31.7%, and it’s due to lawmakers enforcing strict DUI Laws in the State of Iowa. As one of the many states with implied consent laws in effect, individuals suspected of driving under the influence in Iowa must agree to have a blood alcohol, breath, or urine test performed to determine the amount of alcohol or drugs in their system. If the person refuses, the officer may deem them as operating under the influence, and they could lose their license immediately for up to 2 years.
The use of ignition interlocks has also played a big part in the drop of Iowa DUI crashes. First offenders in Iowa who have a blood alcohol level of .10 and over or were involved in a DUI crash are required to install an ignition interlock device as a condition for receiving a temporary driver’s license. If it was a second offense, the individual may apply for a temporary license after 45 days, but they must install an ignition interlock and keep it for one year. In addition, any individual convicted of a 3rd offense or who was involved in any level of offense that caused personal injury may re-apply for a temporary license after one year but they must install ignition interlocks on all vehicles to which they have access.
For more information on DUI laws in Iowa, visit http://www.lifesafer.com/iowa/.
May 1st signals a new beginning in Nova Scotia as lawmakers introduce even stiffer consequences for drinking and driving. The Province already ranks among the strictest in Canada when it comes to DUI offenses, and now the safety of children is at the forefront of lawmaker’s minds.
May 14th, 1988 will go down in history as the first time many people in the USA really took a good, long look at the consequences of drunk driving accidents. As a bus load of children and a few adults cruised down Highway 1-71 in Radcliff, Kentucky after a fun day at a local amusement park, a drunk driver in a pickup truck was driving on the wrong side of the road and heading straight for them. The impact of the crash caused the front door to jam, and as the occupants were rushing to the back door of the bus to get out, it burst into flames.
Loopholes are tightening and restrictions are ready to come down on first time DUI offenders in New Jersey. Legislation was reintroduced earlier this year to improve and expand upon New Jersey’s driving under the influence laws by requiring ignition interlock installation mandatory for any and all drivers who receive a drunk driving conviction or who disobey the law by refusing a breathalyzer test.
Big changes are happening in North Dakota this week as a bill set to improve the state’s DUI laws has passed the House and Senate and is now heading to the Governor’s office. The new bill improves upon the current North Dakota DUI laws and ensures that those who are caught drinking and driving will be forced to face more severe consequences than ever before.
There’s a new Maine DUI bill coming down the pike that could allow drinking drivers with 3 or more convictions to receive a quicker reinstatement of their driver’s license. All they’ll have to do is install an ignition interlock device in their car and prove sobriety before they drive.
It’s tragic to consider that 9,878 people died in DUI related crashes in 2011, but it becomes even more tragic when you realize those accidents could have been prevented with an ignition interlock device. Even if the driver only has one conviction and is a first time offender, a suspended driver’s license is simply not enough to stop someone determined to drive under the influence.
Jail overcrowding is a serious issue in this country. Part of it is due to chronic re-offenders taking up space several times per year, only to be granted early release due to cramped conditions inside the jails. Once released, they tend to commit the same offenses, like drinking and driving, over and over again.
Whether you’re a follower of popular police and justice TV shows and movies or you are just interested in criminal justice, odds are you can probably recite the Miranda warning word for word – Or, at the very least, the “You have the right to remain silent” line. So if you find yourself pulled over on suspicion of DUI, you’d probably expect to be read the Miranda immediately upon being stopped, right?