Starting January 1, 2009 those convicted of driving under the influence in Washington will have the option of retaining their driving privileges if they install an ignition interlock device in their vehicles. A new type of driver

Shreveport police officer Michael Welch was charged with driving while intoxicated in Louisiana after a traffic incident. The 32-year old was off duty but driving a marked patrol car when other motorists contacted the police about his careless driving. Shreveport police were immediately dispatched to the area, where the found Welch asleep behind the wheel with the engine of the police cruiser running.

Welch was booked at the Shreveport City Jail on charges of suspicion of drunk driving in Louisiana around 4:00 am. He was later released on bond.

Welch is a three year veteran with the Shreveport Police Department, assigned to the Uniformed Services Division. He is on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Have you been arrested for DWI in Louisiana?

The ‘Avoid the 21’ crackdown on drunk driving in Alameda County has reported a drop in the number of arrests for driving under the influence in California. 708 arrests were tallied through midnight Christmas Eve, compared to 847 at that time last year. The campaign is named for the 21 law enforcement agencies conducted the CA DUI crackdown. ‘Avoid the 21’ started December 12 and ends New Year’s Day.

San Francisco has a similar campaign titled ‘Avoid the 14’, and it runs during the same time as Alameda County

The Illinois Department of Traffic Safety has unveiled a new anti-drunk driving ad campaign that is very graphic and hard hitting.The theme states that “all it takes is one DUI to scar your life”, and it features images of people with the word “loser” seared onto their bodies.

It is hoped that the unappealing visual will cause motorists to think twice before driving under the influence in Illinois. The “loser” campaign starts on the advent of a new, strict Illinois DUI law. On January 1 anyone convicted of drunk driving in Illinois will be required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle if they wish to retain their driving privileges. The device disables the vehicle if a breath sample contains alcohol above a pre-set limit. Such an effort to reduce DUI have been gaining favor in states and are being pushed politically by anti-drunk driving advocacy groups. Evidence shows that the overwhelming majority of drivers accused of driving under the influence never repeat the offense. More moderate voices say that focusing on the small percentage of chronic drunk drivers is a more effective way of reducing the problem of drunk driving, and that the effort should include alcohol rehabilitation.

The ad campaign was developed by a Chicago ad agency and it will be distributed via television, radio and on-line.

Have you been charged with DUI in IL?

State officials, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, announced a new holiday campaign aimed at reducing incidents of driving under the influence in Florida. The $7 million campaign targets drivers between the ages of 21 and 24, the group most likely to be involved in an alcohol related accident with fatality. Ads will be featured on radio and television, as well as online. In combination with the ad campaign, law enforcement agencies across the state will target areas prone to Florida drunk driving arrests with extra patiols and sobriety checkpoints.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety reports a 10 percent drop in the number of DUI related fatalities in the state over the past ten months. Officials cite better law enforcement and a decrease in driving due to higher gas prices. December, however, statistically has one of the highest rates of DUI arrests, with a reported 4 out of 10 alcohol related accidents with fatality occurring in the last two weeks of the month.

Have you been charged with DUI in FL?

The 25 year old daughter of billionaire NASCAR racing mogul Bruton Smith has been formally charged with driving while intoxicated in North Carolina and driving with a suspended driver’s license. Anna Smith was involved in an accident on December 10 that left her seriously injured.

The accident occurred in Huntersville, NC, near Charlotte, around 5:00 am. Smith’s vehicle was found wrecked in a field, 200 feet from the road, and she had reportedly been thrown 40 feet away. Ms. Smith remains hospitalized at Carolinas Medical Center.

Bruton Smith is the chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc.

Have you been charged with DWI in NC?

The holidays are a time of year when law enforcement agencies increasingly target drunk drivers. In keeping with that effort, the federal government, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, launched a new anti-DUI campaign this week. During a joint news conference, it was stated that one in four fatal automobile accidents occur during the last two weeks of December and that DUI checkpoints were a way of changing that statistic.

The American Beverage Institute has questioned that tactic, saying there are much more effective tools for fighting incidents of driving under the influence. The spokesperson for ABI said that sobriety checkpoints, often paid for with tax dollars distributed through federal grants, are more of a public relations campaign than a truly effective mechanism to catch drunk drivers. The cost of setting up a checkpoint and paying police officers over-time pay can run many thousands of dollars. The ABI goes on to point out that usually checkpoint locations are highly publicized, meaning chronic abusers avoid the area and the police then target socially responsible drinkers who are driving with a blood alcohol content below the legal limit. The actual numbers of DUI arrests from sobriety checkpoints are generally very low. One recent news article from Florida cited 696 motorists being checked or

detained with only one DUI arrest. Many net no arrests.

ABI advocates the more responsible and less expensive approach of conducting roving saturation patrols. That tactic focuses equipment and manpower in high-DUI areas, and offers the flexibility to react to traffic and field conditions. The officers are trained to identify signs of potential impairment in motorists.

Many law enforcement agencies agree with the increased effectiveness of roving patrols, but still conduct sobriety checkpoints because of available federal funds.

Have you been arrested for drunk driving and need to hire a DWI Lawyer or DUI Attorney?

Minnesota is using a clever method to reduce incidents of driving while intoxicated during the Christmas holiday. The Department of Public Safety will be distributing designated driver gift cards across the state. The cards can be found at liquor stores, bars and certain retailers. They can also be electronically generated on a DPS website.

Each December, state law enforcement agencies initiate crackdowns on drunk driving in Minnesota. In the last three years, a total of more than 10,000 motorists have been charged with MN DWI during December. The weekend prior to Christmas day historically records the second highest number of DWI arrests for the entire year. The first is the St. Patrick

The Ohio State Controlling Board authorized the purchase of 700 Intoxilyzer 8000 machines for testing blood alcohol content of motorists suspected of Ohio DUI. Nearly $7 million in federal grant money will be used to purchase the portable breath testing devices. The described intent of the purchase is to standardize the breath test equipment and procedure used to help catch drunk drivers in Ohio.

Concerns were raised during the decision making process because the manufacturer of the Intoxilyzer 8000, CMI Inc of Kentucky, is involved in several law suits with states over the equipment

The Ohio Controlling Board a considering the purchase of new breath testing equipment for the state. The goal is to standardize the equipment used when testing driver