The numbers are out and it’s official. For the ninth straight year, the Pennsylvania State Police have set a record for DUI (driving under the influence) arrests. See Pennsylvania State Police: DUI Arrest Record Set Last Year. According to the statistics recently released, the state police arrested 17,695 people for DUI in 2010. This number of DUI arrests is up five percent from 2009. Nonetheless, arrests do not equal convictions. The number of convictions resulting from these arrests has not been published. There is no doubt that more than of a few of these DUI arrests did not ultimately end up as convictions…Read More
Is a DUI Different from a DWI? No. Most states have different terminology for drunk driving statutes. A Pennsylvania DUI is essentially the same as a New Jersey DWI. There are some differences between the wording of the PA and NJ laws against drunk driving and the penalties. However, a Pennsylvania DUI conviction will be viewed the same as a New Jersey DWI conviction in either state. Is the One Drink Per Hour Rule Reliable? No. Don’t rely on the “rule” of one drink an hour. Generally, one drink should be absorbed and eliminated from the human body in one hour. Nonetheless, more than one client of mine has…Read More
What is a Suspended License? Most US states view driving as a privilege. This is contrary to the belief held by many Americans that driving is an inviolable right that cannot be taken away from them, much like the right to bear arms. In fact, the Department of Transportation (DOT) or Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) may suspend your license – that is, temporarily or indefinitely take away your driving privileges – for any of the below reasons, which may come as surprise to many: Refusal to submit to a field sobriety test or other chemical test such as blood, breath or urine, to detect…Read More
Getting arrested for a DWI in New Jersey can be overwhelmingly distressing. Considering the possible outcomes of a DWI charge, you are probably concerned about losing your driving privileges, having an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle and the financial costs. You may also have concerns about the possibility of serving jail time, losing your job or increased insurance costs. With so much at stake, it’s quite natural for anyone to go through an emotional upheaval. To make matters worse, you face complicated procedures and complexities of New Jersey DWI law. Notwithstanding the effects of the charge you are facing, it may be hard…Read More
Most states have strict laws when it comes to traffic offenses. If you speed, run a stop sign, run a red light, cause an accident or engage in other risky or unlawful driving practices, you could end up with a hefty fine, points on your driving record and a license suspension. A Driving Under the Influence or Driving While Intoxicated charge is just one of many things that could cause legal problems for drivers who may end up with the suspension of driving privileges or time in jail. It is natural to think that you have a bit more freedom to bend…Read More
If you’re an underage driver or have a CDL, you’ll want to read this Drivers who have special licenses face some very strict New Jersey DWI laws. Drivers who just started driving and are under the age of 21, and those who drive commercially for a living, face increased consequences for drunk driving than the penalties for the typical adult driver. Consider the fact that those drivers (even boaters) who are under the age of 21 risk an underage DWI conviction with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of just .01%. If convicted of violating N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.14 (underage or “kiddie” DWI), those drivers will…Read More
New Jersey is one of the states that will not place penalties, in the form of points, on your driver’s license record for every motor vehicle offense. If you’ve been convicted for DWI (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50) or Refusal (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4a), then no points will be placed on your license. However, points may be assessed for other moving violations however. The New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) assesses points. Be aware that as your license accumulates points, surcharges will also accrue and will have to be paid. These surcharges can ultimately total thousands of dollars. For example, drivers who accumulate six points…Read More
If you had read, “How to Avoid a DUI During the Holidays-Part 1,” then hopefully you steered clear of drunk driving during the Thanksgiving holiday. Nonetheless, this is the time of year when Christmas holiday parties are abundant and so is the alcohol being served at those parties. This article outlines four more tips that should be kept in mind in order to avoid a DUI. Tip 5: Don’t drink alcohol if you are driving. This is the surest way not to get charged with a DUI. (Refer to Tip 1). Tip 6: If you decided to drink and then…Read More
If you’re a resident of or if you ever travel to New Jersey, you’ll want to be aware of its unusual DWI laws. .. For example, if you’ve had a DWI in another State, you may be believe that an administrative hearing will first occur, which is usually held at the Motor Vehicle Department for a particular State. However, New Jersey has no administrative hearings. All of the consequences to your driver’s license are imposed by the courts. If you’ve been arrested for DWI in New Jersey, there are two ways you can be prosecuted: You can be prosecuted traditionally, where the…Read More
If you live in the State of New Jersey, you’ll want to know all the ways your driver’s license can be suspended. You’ll also want to know that it’s the courts that impose the consequences to your driver’s license. Finally, you’ll want to know that just a simple moving violation can lead to points assessed on your driver’s license, which can lead to surcharges and, if those surcharges aren’t paid, can ultimately lead to your license being suspended. And if you’ve had a DWI in New Jersey, failure to pay the fines results in the loss of your license (along with a…Read More