Category: DUI/Drunk Driving Charges
What is the difference between a 2nd and 4th DUI conviction?
The state of Tennessee takes drunk driving accusations very seriously. Those who are convicted on more than one drunk driving charge will face punishments that are increasingly more severe depending on their number of previous convictions. For example, the consequences that a person could face following a conviction for a second offense are very different
Probable cause and breath tests in Tennessee DUI cases
There are many ways to identify drunk drivers in Tennessee and across the country, according to NHTSA. However, prosecutors tend to rely on toxicology test results showing a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher in DUI cases. These tests may be performed using breath testing equipment or blood tests, but police officers must
Field sobriety testing is not always reliable
When Tennessee police officers suspect that a motorist is driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they often ask them to take field sobriety tests. If drivers perform poorly in these tests, the officers may take them into custody on drunk driving charges or ask them to submit to breath or blood tests
Tennessee DUI defense: Ignition interlock device requirements
Everyone knows that Tennessee law is tough on punishment for drunk drivers. Sentencing can include jail time, court costs, fines, loss or restrictions on driver’s licenses, and more. One more relatively recent addition to such penalties is the requirement that a defendant install an ignition interlock device or IID as a condition of receiving a restricted
Drunk driving charges from auto-brewery syndrome
A rare condition that is known as auto-brewery syndrome might be of interest to people in Tennessee. People who have the disorder convert carbohydrates into alcohol in their bodies without consuming any alcohol at all. This may cause them to become drunk even though they haven’t had a drop to drink. People who have auto-brewery syndrome have
Survey shows fewer people are driving drunk
Tennessee residents may be interested to learn that the drunk driving rate in the United States is going down. An annual survey shows that Americans drove drunk less frequently in 2014 than they did in the previous 13 years. The drunk driving data was part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and
Increases in DUI arrests
Drivers who live in Tennessee and the surrounding areas may be interested to learn that the Tennessee Highway Safety Office recognized the members of the La Vergne Police Department for their DUI enforcement efforts in November and awarded them the 2016 DUI Enforcement Award. A total number of 244 people were arrested for driving under
No tolerance for underage drinking and driving
In Tennessee and throughout the United States, it is against the law for anyone under 21 years of age to buy or possess alcohol. The purpose of the laws is to address the dangers of underage drinking. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 33 percent of the deaths of those between 15 and
Medications and DUI: Can you really be charged when what you took was legal?
Tennessee’s DUI statute defines driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in two different ways. One way is well-established and contains an objective measure: an alcohol concentration measured by a blood or breath test as .08 or more. The other way, however, is much more subjective. It involves driving while “under the influence of
When an officer can pull over a driver on suspicion of DUI
Tennessee drivers may be interested in knowing when a police officer may pull someone over for suspicion of drunk driving. In order to pull over a motor vehicle, the officer must have reasonable suspicion that an illegal act is occurring. There are various reasons a police officer may decide to stop a motorist who is