Aug
12
Los Angeles Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys, Lawyers. Los Angeles DUI Facts and Statistics
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***Find a pre-screened DUI attorney in Los Angeles 661-310-7999. Lawyer referral serviced approved by the CA Bar Association***
California DUI/DWI Facts and Statistics
Drunk driving or driving under the influence (DUI) is the act of driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or while in an inebriated condition. It is a common problem in the United States and the rest of the world. DUI is responsible for 41 percent of total traffic deaths.
Alcohol tends to get absorbed into the bloodstream and is carried to the brain immediately upon consumption. Laws in the US in relation to DUI have become extremely strict. In the state of California alone there are approximately 200,000 arrests for DUI every year. The law has enforced strict and stringent measures against people who have found to have a blood alcohol count of 0.08% or more.
Based on California law, a person under the influence of alcohol is charged on two counts, a Vehicle Code section 23152(a) count, driving impaired by alcohol and 23152(b), driving above a .08% Blood Alcohol Content.
California Highway Patrol records, 1998 states that in 1997, a total of 31,189 people were injured in alcohol-related traffic accidents in California. This comes down to approximately 86 people per day. Injuries caused in such accidents comprise of roughly 10.94% of the total 284,871 traffic injuries in California. It also states that in 1997, a total of 1,100 people were killed in alcohol-related accidents in California - this equates to 3 people per day. These deaths roughly represent almost 29.96% of the total 3,671 traffic fatalities in California.
Strict and stringent laws have been enacted to deal with offenders caught while DUI. Jail sentences range from 2 days to 120 days depending on the intensity of the offence. Similarly DUI schooling may also be recommended. This may range from 15 weeks to 18 months. Sale of the vehicle or impounding may also take place with the proceeds going towards charity.
Statistics have proved that since the enactment of the 0.08% blood alcohol count, the DUI arrests have decreased by an assenting rate of 45%. The number of deaths and injuries has also shown a 50% decrease. This is a positive indication, which proves that to an extent, the imposition of fines and punishments has shown affirmative results.
Alcohol offenses are serious crimes, which carry major consequences if convicted. An alcohol related crime can be one of many subcategories including, DUI, DWI, underage drinking, public drunken behavior and the illegal distribution, production and sale of liquor.
If you have been charged with any of these crimes, 1000Attorneys.com can help you find a pre-screened lawyer who specializes DUI charges in California. All Attorneys are insured and monitored by a process approved by the California Bar Association and the Supreme Court.
Any punishment or penalties assigned by the court in a California DUI / drunk driving case is separate from the repercussions possible at the DMV. The California DMV will suspend the driver’s license for a minimum of four (4) months for a first-offense (1st) DUI / DWI arrest if the driver loses the hearing.
The DMV will suspend the driver’s license for one year for a second offense (2nd) and two years for a third offense (3rd). These are the repercussions faced by California drivers who submit to a chemical test of their blood or breath. In the case of a refusal, the DMV punishment is increased: a first-offense (1st) will trigger a one-year suspension with no opportunity for a restricted license.
A second offense (2nd) with refusal will result in a two-year suspension, and a third offense (3rd) will cause a three-year suspension.
By: State Approved Lawyer, Attorney Referral Hotline 661-310-7999. Los Angeles Lawyers, Attorneys, Law Firms
About the Author:
California DUI/DWI Facts and Statistics
Drunk driving or driving under the influence (DUI) is the act of driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or while in an inebriated condition. It is a common problem in the United States and the rest of the world. DUI is responsible for 41 percent of total traffic deaths.
Alcohol tends to get absorbed into the bloodstream and is carried to the brain immediately upon consumption. Laws in the US in relation to DUI have become extremely strict. In the state of California alone there are approximately 200,000 arrests for DUI every year. The law has enforced strict and stringent measures against people who have found to have a blood alcohol count of 0.08% or more.
Based on California law, a person under the influence of alcohol is charged on two counts, a Vehicle Code section 23152(a) count, driving impaired by alcohol and 23152(b), driving above a .08% Blood Alcohol Content.
California Highway Patrol records, 1998 states that in 1997, a total of 31,189 people were injured in alcohol-related traffic accidents in California. This comes down to approximately 86 people per day. Injuries caused in such accidents comprise of roughly 10.94% of the total 284,871 traffic injuries in California. It also states that in 1997, a total of 1,100 people were killed in alcohol-related accidents in California - this equates to 3 people per day. These deaths roughly represent almost 29.96% of the total 3,671 traffic fatalities in California.
Strict and stringent laws have been enacted to deal with offenders caught while DUI. Jail sentences range from 2 days to 120 days depending on the intensity of the offence. Similarly DUI schooling may also be recommended. This may range from 15 weeks to 18 months. Sale of the vehicle or impounding may also take place with the proceeds going towards charity.
Statistics have proved that since the enactment of the 0.08% blood alcohol count, the DUI arrests have decreased by an assenting rate of 45%. The number of deaths and injuries has also shown a 50% decrease. This is a positive indication, which proves that to an extent, the imposition of fines and punishments has shown affirmative results.
Alcohol offenses are serious crimes, which carry major consequences if convicted. An alcohol related crime can be one of many subcategories including, DUI, DWI, underage drinking, public drunken behavior and the illegal distribution, production and sale of liquor.
If you have been charged with any of these crimes, 1000Attorneys.com can help you find a pre-screened lawyer who specializes DUI charges in California. All Attorneys are insured and monitored by a process approved by the California Bar Association and the Supreme Court.
Any punishment or penalties assigned by the court in a California DUI / drunk driving case is separate from the repercussions possible at the DMV. The California DMV will suspend the driver’s license for a minimum of four (4) months for a first-offense (1st) DUI / DWI arrest if the driver loses the hearing.
The DMV will suspend the driver’s license for one year for a second offense (2nd) and two years for a third offense (3rd). These are the repercussions faced by California drivers who submit to a chemical test of their blood or breath. In the case of a refusal, the DMV punishment is increased: a first-offense (1st) will trigger a one-year suspension with no opportunity for a restricted license.
A second offense (2nd) with refusal will result in a two-year suspension, and a third offense (3rd) will cause a three-year suspension.
By: State Approved Lawyer, Attorney Referral Hotline 661-310-7999. Los Angeles Lawyers, Attorneys, Law Firms
About the Author:
To find pre-screened attorneys in the Los Angeles area call 661-310-7999.
Certified by the California Bar Association (Certification # 0128), 1000Attorneys.com is a single point of contact to find pre-screened attorneys in Los Angeles, California. The lawyer referral program complies with rules and regulations set forth by the Bar and the Supreme Court to provide unbiased lawyer referrals to Los Angeles residents
Mar
28
Clint Broden wrote:
You have a right to expect several things from any lawyer you hire with the understanding that, like many things in life, you often get what you pay for. To further complicate the matter, however, we are familiar with lawyers who charge absurdly large fees and provide no better representation than a lawyer you might hire out of a phone book.
At minimum you have a right to expect the following from the lawyer you hire:
1. Your lawyer should thoroughly familiarize himself with your case before offering you advice on whether to accept a plea bargain or fight the case at a trial. This process should include both a legal and factual review of your case. The legal review should include, among other things, a review of the charges against you to determine if there are legal challenges that can be brought against the statute you are charged with violating, a review of the indictment against you to determine if there are deficiencies in how you were charged, and a determination of how the prosecution obtained its evidence to determine if it is subject to a motion to suppress. The factual review should include, among other things, a review of all the discovery in your case provided by the prosecution, a review of all documents that you provide and the lawyer having his investigator interview both favorable and unfavorable witnesses. BEWARE OF ANY LAWYER WHO PUSHES YOU TO ENTER A PLEA BEFORE THIS REVIEW IS COMPLETE.
2. Once the review is complete, you should expect OBJECTIVE advice from your lawyer as to the strengths and weaknesses of your case as well as possible plea options. Clients sometimes get discouraged at this stage and do not believe that their lawyer is “fighting for them.” As we tell clients, you are paying a lawyer to be your advocate in front of a judge, jury or prosecutor, but, when it is the two of you talking, you are paying the lawyer to give you objective advice to help you make a decision as to how to handle your case. It would be very damaging to your case for a lawyer to sugar coat things at this stage and not tell you the weaknesses in your case. Clients are often too close to their case to evaluate it objectively. As we explained in an earlier post, we normally advise against fee agreements that pay a lawyer extra if you elect to have a trial because this creates an incentive for a lawyer not to be objective about the risks of going to trial.
3. If you elect to plead guilty, you should expect your lawyer to try to negotiate the most favorable plea possible with the prosecutor while keeping in mind that a defense lawyer cannot force a prosecutor to offer a particular plea bargain. Similar to any negotiation, this sometimes means the lawyer might pretend that the case will proceed to trial in order to get the prosecutor to “blink first.” If a plea agreement is reached, you should expect a lawyer to thoroughly explain the plea bargain to you so that you understand it COMPLETELY as well as the various consequences of pleading guilty.
4. If you elect to go to trial, you have a right to expect your lawyer to strongly advocate your case to a jury. Before the lawyer can do this, however, they must understand all the evidence that the prosecution will use and have all of your evidence and witnesses prepared. Many times we see defense lawyers waive making an opening statement in a trial because they don’t fully understand the prosecution’s evidence and they hope to learn about the evidence for the first time when the prosecution puts the evidence on at trial. As you can imagine, this often proves disastrous. You should expect your lawyer to spend time preparing your witnesses to testify and, if you are going to testify, you have a right to expect the lawyer to spend significant time practicing your testimony and explaining how the prosecutor will likely cross examine you.
5. At any sentencing hearing, if there is no agreement as to what sentence will be imposed, you should expect your lawyer to advocate for the lowest possible sentences. Like at trial, this will require the lawyer to understand the evidence and witnesses the prosecution might use to increase your sentence and will also require the lawyer to be prepared to present evidence and witnesses on your behalf to help lower your potential sentence. After sentencing, you should expect that lawyer will explain to you any options you have regarding an appeal.
6. Above all else, you have a right to expect your lawyer to be available to answer questions. One lawyer writes on his website “don’t expect him to be able to return all of your phone calls within half a day. A good lawyer will always be very busy and you should allow him 48 hours to return your calls.” We strongly disagree. Except in rare circumstances, you should expect your lawyer to call you back the same day even if this means calling you at night after he finishes in court for the day. This is the reason that we post the mobile phone numbers of all our attorneys on our website so that you can easily reach us and, if we are unavailable, leave a message that can be returned promptly and not two days later.
Always remember, your lawyer works for you and, more than likely, you are paying the lawyer a significant amount of money. No question is too foolish when your liberty is at stake. The time to ask the questions is before entering a plea because, once you have done so, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to go back. Conversely, you should make sure that, if you elect to go to trial, you understand any plea options you are giving up, because, if you are convicted at trial, it will be too late to go back and accept the plea agreement. The key is to ask questions because you have a right to expect honest and objective answers from any lawyer you hire.
Online Dating
You have a right to expect several things from any lawyer you hire with the understanding that, like many things in life, you often get what you pay for. To further complicate the matter, however, we are familiar with lawyers who charge absurdly large fees and provide no better representation than a lawyer you might hire out of a phone book.
At minimum you have a right to expect the following from the lawyer you hire:
1. Your lawyer should thoroughly familiarize himself with your case before offering you advice on whether to accept a plea bargain or fight the case at a trial. This process should include both a legal and factual review of your case. The legal review should include, among other things, a review of the charges against you to determine if there are legal challenges that can be brought against the statute you are charged with violating, a review of the indictment against you to determine if there are deficiencies in how you were charged, and a determination of how the prosecution obtained its evidence to determine if it is subject to a motion to suppress. The factual review should include, among other things, a review of all the discovery in your case provided by the prosecution, a review of all documents that you provide and the lawyer having his investigator interview both favorable and unfavorable witnesses. BEWARE OF ANY LAWYER WHO PUSHES YOU TO ENTER A PLEA BEFORE THIS REVIEW IS COMPLETE.
2. Once the review is complete, you should expect OBJECTIVE advice from your lawyer as to the strengths and weaknesses of your case as well as possible plea options. Clients sometimes get discouraged at this stage and do not believe that their lawyer is “fighting for them.” As we tell clients, you are paying a lawyer to be your advocate in front of a judge, jury or prosecutor, but, when it is the two of you talking, you are paying the lawyer to give you objective advice to help you make a decision as to how to handle your case. It would be very damaging to your case for a lawyer to sugar coat things at this stage and not tell you the weaknesses in your case. Clients are often too close to their case to evaluate it objectively. As we explained in an earlier post, we normally advise against fee agreements that pay a lawyer extra if you elect to have a trial because this creates an incentive for a lawyer not to be objective about the risks of going to trial.
3. If you elect to plead guilty, you should expect your lawyer to try to negotiate the most favorable plea possible with the prosecutor while keeping in mind that a defense lawyer cannot force a prosecutor to offer a particular plea bargain. Similar to any negotiation, this sometimes means the lawyer might pretend that the case will proceed to trial in order to get the prosecutor to “blink first.” If a plea agreement is reached, you should expect a lawyer to thoroughly explain the plea bargain to you so that you understand it COMPLETELY as well as the various consequences of pleading guilty.
4. If you elect to go to trial, you have a right to expect your lawyer to strongly advocate your case to a jury. Before the lawyer can do this, however, they must understand all the evidence that the prosecution will use and have all of your evidence and witnesses prepared. Many times we see defense lawyers waive making an opening statement in a trial because they don’t fully understand the prosecution’s evidence and they hope to learn about the evidence for the first time when the prosecution puts the evidence on at trial. As you can imagine, this often proves disastrous. You should expect your lawyer to spend time preparing your witnesses to testify and, if you are going to testify, you have a right to expect the lawyer to spend significant time practicing your testimony and explaining how the prosecutor will likely cross examine you.
5. At any sentencing hearing, if there is no agreement as to what sentence will be imposed, you should expect your lawyer to advocate for the lowest possible sentences. Like at trial, this will require the lawyer to understand the evidence and witnesses the prosecution might use to increase your sentence and will also require the lawyer to be prepared to present evidence and witnesses on your behalf to help lower your potential sentence. After sentencing, you should expect that lawyer will explain to you any options you have regarding an appeal.
6. Above all else, you have a right to expect your lawyer to be available to answer questions. One lawyer writes on his website “don’t expect him to be able to return all of your phone calls within half a day. A good lawyer will always be very busy and you should allow him 48 hours to return your calls.” We strongly disagree. Except in rare circumstances, you should expect your lawyer to call you back the same day even if this means calling you at night after he finishes in court for the day. This is the reason that we post the mobile phone numbers of all our attorneys on our website so that you can easily reach us and, if we are unavailable, leave a message that can be returned promptly and not two days later.
Always remember, your lawyer works for you and, more than likely, you are paying the lawyer a significant amount of money. No question is too foolish when your liberty is at stake. The time to ask the questions is before entering a plea because, once you have done so, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to go back. Conversely, you should make sure that, if you elect to go to trial, you understand any plea options you are giving up, because, if you are convicted at trial, it will be too late to go back and accept the plea agreement. The key is to ask questions because you have a right to expect honest and objective answers from any lawyer you hire.
Online Dating