Orange County DUI Lawyer Blog
Officials with the California Office of Traffic Safety said 30% of drivers killed in car accidents in 2010 tested positive for legal and/or illegal drugs. So, while the number of alcohol related driving deaths is on the decline, the number of drugged and driving related accidents has increased. As an experienced DUI Defense Attorney, I can say that Orange County California Courts are among the strictest in the State when it comes to Driving Under the Influence.
The Office of Traffic Safety, along with the California Highway Patrol have teamed up in an effort to teach officers how to better spot drugged drivers and arrest them. Police departments across the state are also being urged to send officers to get special training on the issue and become Drug Recognition Experts.
According to the CHP Commissioner, training law enforcement will be the key to successfully removing drug-impaired drivers from the road.
It is clear that law enforcement is becoming more aggressive in their efforts to remove impaired drivers from the road. Along with the Orange County, CA, DUI Task Forces and Roving Saturation Patrols, it is only a matter of time before there will be special teams designated to recognize and arrest “drugged drivers”.
A conviction of DUI carries severe and long lasting effects on a person’s life. An experienced DUI defense attorney can help to minimize the consequences of being arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
DUI, or driving under the influence, charges are typically charged as misdemeanors. However, some DUI’s can be charged as felonies. A DUI that is charged as a Felony DUI, usually involves DUI manslaughter; DUI causing serious injury; 3rd DUI conviction within 10 years; and 4th DU conviction at any time. Drunk drivers who cause injury, or DUI with injury is sometimes referred to as a “wobbler” charge, which means that it can be charged as either a felony or misdemeanor. However, prosecutors typically pursue the charge that carries the most punishment. An experienced criminal defense attorney, or DUI defense attorney, will have the knowledge and experience that is necessary to get the charge reduced to a misdemeanor. A conviction of felony DUI carries a much more serious punishment than a misdemeanor DUI. A misdemeanor first offense DUI can be punishable by up to six months in the county jail, whereas a felony DUI can carry a year or more in state prison sentence.
If you would like to know more about Driving Under the Influence, contact Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney William M. Weinberg at his Irvine, California office at 949-474-8008.