Drink Driving Laws
Drink Driving Punishment is Getting More Severe
By Stewart Wrighter
It is rather unfortunate but many people still take the risk of drinking and driving without being aware of the consequences should they be caught out. Not only is this morally wrong, of course, but lives and property can be damaged beyond repair and all for the sake of a few drinks. Indeed, when people are involved in accidents their first remark is often that they had never done this before! However, that being said, if the inevitable does happen then they will surely need the services of a DUI attorney to get them through the dark days ahead. A DUI lawyer will be able to ascertain the full extent of the severity of the case and act accordingly.
We have all seen those funny road side tests that the police love to give over to the entertainment shows. This serves two purposes, of course. One is to show how stupid people look when they are drunk; the other is to warn people that they will eventually be caught. But it is not necessary to undergo this kind of treatment at all. The driver can insist on being tested at the station where, if he is found to be over the limit, he can contact his legal expert for guidance.
There are two reasons why this may be a better idea for sure. One is that it takes time to set up these tests so if the driver is a tiny bit over the limit or right on the edge, the extra time may just bring him within limits. Also, if the station is particularly busy, he may just get off with a warning if he is very near the limit. Of course, this depends on why he was taken in initially but if it was just a routine stop then he may just get away with it.
Also, no matter who the person is, when they have taken a drink or two, they often become a little more belligerent than they normally are so it is better to be polite, cooperative and do everything that the office is asking, within reason of course. There are those officers who love to embarrass people too so if one belligerent driver meets a mean officer, anything can happen!
Once the arrest is made, it is normal for the case to proceed to court and this is where the expert gets to defend the driver. Although the courts are becoming tougher on drivers who drink, there are often extenuating circumstances that they will take into consideration every now and then. The expert will know about these and will certainly try to show the court that this particular driver was as much a victim of circumstance as any other person etc.
If all else fails the driver is fined or even jailed, then the expert will certainly do his best to mitigate the loss that the driver will feel. If he loses his license, for example, this could be the end of his career.
January 17, 2011
1:56 pm
What do you think of drink driving laws?
I don’t think drink driving laws are fair as it is just some level that people come up with – surely it should be about how you drive. I was driving fine but got pulled over for no insurance and was over the limit.
I have to go back to court now and the fact that I got done for drink driving and also no insurance I could end up back in prison as I have a suspended sentence for something else from last year.
I’ve had a few problems in the past but things have been going OK recently but now things are all messed up again – just because I was over this limit that somebody set although I was driving alright.
January 17, 2011
8:09 pm
What are the drink driving laws and some interesting facts about drink driving?
hey i would just like to know the drink driving laws and some interesting facts!some facts that would suprise people about drink driving!and if you know the penilitys could you also tell me them too!thankyou very much!xx
January 20, 2011
11:37 am
Most current drink driving laws in Ireland?
What are the most current drink drinig laws in Ireland? I know theres the Road Traffic Bill 2006 but was there not talk of one being introduced in late 2009 that lowered the limit even further, causing outrage?
January 20, 2011
4:56 pm
What do you think of the drink driving laws?
I was arrested a few days ago for drink driving. When I was back in the station the reading was 46mg of breath which wasn’t too much over the limit so they did a urine test as well that I have to wait on. I had a few drinks alright but had no problem driving. Is it right that you can be done for drunk driving when you are well able to drive when people can get away with being too tierd to drive and nothing happens.
January 21, 2011
7:49 am
There are pretty clear guidelines on this. There is a charge which is not that you may be a ‘drunk driver’ but that you are ‘drunk in charge of a vehicle’.
It may seem unfair, but that is the law. If you are on the highway then you will certainly be prosecuted. On private (pub car park) land there is some confusion.
If the keys are in the ignition, you almost certainly will be prosecuted, but why not try this…no guarantees, but it might work…
If you really must have the keys in the ignition to watch TV, or whatever, then buy a steering wheel lock and fit it visibly and remove the key from the keyring. It may be difficult for the police to prove you are able to ‘drive’ the car if you have no easy means of getting the steering lock off.
Perhaps the pub landlord would be willing to hold the key for you until you are sober enough to drive? Remember they might be waiting ’round the corner’ for you in the morning, when you may still be over the limit.
As I said, this may not work, but if you went to the local police station and asked them about this solution they may agree that you wouldn’t be ‘in charge’ of the vehicle and therefore would not be subject to prosecution…maybe? (and remember you may still be ‘over the limit’ in the morning.)
Good luck, don’t know if this helps, but maybe it’s worth a try.
BobSpain
January 21, 2011
9:57 am
Let’s see….it’s dangerous, it’s deadly, it’s against the law, and if you get caught you go to jail.
January 21, 2011
11:51 am
The most common type of prosecution for drink driving is under these three sections for driving when over the prescribed limits for blood/alcohol, urine/alcohol or breath/alcohol. This means that the Garda or prosecution must prove that the person drove a vehicle while the concentration of alcohol in the blood exceeded 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, section 49(2), or 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine, section 49(3) or 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath section 49(4).
copied from
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/travel-and-recreation/motoring-1/driving-offences/drink-driving-offences-in-ireland
January 21, 2011
2:09 pm
I want you to present your agrument to the families of people killed by drunk drivers, or those who have been horribly, permanently maimed by them and see how much sympathy you get. The reason that certain limits have been set, idiot, is because drunk people do not always realize that they are impaired and unable to drive. Maybe you think you were driving just fine, but over a certain blood alcohol level, most people do not drive just fine, regardless of how well they think they’re doing. That’s how they set the limit.
I know for one that I don’t even take my car when I go somewhere that I expect to drink, because I know I feel fine and think I am normal, but others hear my slurred speech and see my clumsiness, after only a few drinks.
I hope you go to prison and I hope your license gets permanently revoked, since you can’t take responsibility for your actions and clearly aren’t going to change your ways. If that happens, I will send a silent prayer of thanks on behalf of all the innocent kids who won’t be killed by you and your ignorance.
January 21, 2011
5:01 pm
You may think that you are alright but your reaction times will be much slower than you realise. Yes you should be done for drink driving. The limit should be 0 then everyone would know when they had had too much.
January 21, 2011
8:07 pm
drink driving laws in uk regarding being asleep and drunk in car?
It seems there are no clear guidelines on this law. Which makes things difficult for me as I like to keep a clean license and at the same time dont like paying for hotels when being told that I can’t sleep in a vehicle when over the limit, where as if I was in a hotel I would be without problems.
I like to get drunk but dont like paying for hotels or sleeping on the street, I also own a vehicle that I like sleeping in. Is it really true that if I go over drink drive limit I have to sleep outside my car or bury my keys for others not to find them.
I also like to have my cars electics active in the evening, watching tv, music and stuff, but this requires keys in ignition, does this qualify me as a drink driver?