Recently in DUI Laws Category

In addition to ringing in the New Year, California rang in the addition of approximately 750 new laws to govern its residents. A few of those laws deal specifically with the Golden State's DUI checkpoint process, which has caused some controversy between safety and immigration advocates, reports NBC Southern California.

The new law prohibits police officers from impounding the cars of unlicensed drivers who are caught at DUI checkpoint locations.

Los Angeles may also extend the ban on impounds to all traffic stops, not just DUI checkpoint locations, according to NBC.

Dennis Patrick Malavasi, the son of ex-Rams Coach Ray Malavasi, almost got away with a slap on the wrist for his 13th DUI conviction. It’s not that the number 13 is lucky when it comes to DUI convictions. It’s another number that could have saved Malavasi from a whole lot of prison time - California’s 10-year mark for considering previous DUI convictions in calculating mandatory sentences.

Malavasi was one year away from reaching the 10-year limit since his last DUI conviction in 2001, reports The Orange County Register.

We recently reported about new findings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that, while texting and driving remains a dangerous activity, drivers have not learned to conquer the temptation of the text.

Now, the government’s transportation safety experts are calling for a complete federal ban of all cell phone and portable electronics use in cars, reports MSNBC.com.

Don’t think you may slip under the ban if you have Bluetooth, either. The recommendation includes banning the use of hands-free devices. The only exceptions are emergency situations or using GPS navigation devices.

Getting pulled over by the cops is never a pleasant experience. However, there are ways of making it a smoother and easier process for both you and the police. The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California offers practical tips when dealing with the police.

Here at the Los Angeles DUI Law blog, we have chosen five of these tips as the top things to do when being pulled over:

If you are convicted of a DUI, the penalties you receive are pretty standard: probation, community service, license suspension, and possible jail time. However, in Riverside County, if you do the crime, you may have to pay for your time. The Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to tentatively approve an ordinance requiring inmates in county detention facilities to reimburse the county for the cost of their stay in jail, reports CBS Los Angeles.

The “Require Every Convict Occupant Reimburse County Expenses” - or RECORCE - ordinance will require convicts with financial resources to pay for their time in jail. The expenses average out to about $142 per inmate per day, probably more than the average cost of a hotel stay in Riverside. If you cannot afford to pay or are eventually not convicted of the crime, however, you are excused from repayment.

When it comes to hard core drunk drivers, states are increasing the strength and enforcement of their DUI laws to keep them in check, according to FamilyCarGuide.com. This includes the increasing use of technological devices like ignition interlock devices and SCRAM bracelets. Should California be following suit in its enforcement against hard core drunk drivers?

The term “hard core drunk driver” typically describes a DUI offender who has multiple arrests and convictions and frequently drives with a 0.15 percent or above blood-alcohol content, according to FamilyCarGuide.com. The average profile is a 35.7 year-old-male with a high school education, full-time employment and significant relationship loss (separated, divorced or widowed).

Did you know you used to be at risk of losing your vehicle at a DUI checkpoint even if you weren’t drunk? Neither did we, but it may no longer be an issue thanks to a new state law.

Governor Jerry Brown recently signed legislation prohibiting the controversial California DUI checkpoint practice of impounding the cars of unlicensed drivers for 30 days, regardless of whether the driver was drunk or not, reports The Orange Counter Register.

The impounding practice is reportedly the most common activity at the checkpoints. Despite its DUI-theme, 24,000 cars and trucks were reportedly impounded at checkpoints in 2009, far exceeding the 3,200 DUI arrests, according to an investigation by Ryan Gabrielson, a U.C. Berkeley fellow.

The current costs of a DUI are hefty: a suspended license, large fines, and even possible jail time. Oftentimes, convicted drunk drivers will pay the fines and move on, never questioning where they actually go to.

Many residents in several Orange County cities may be surprised to find that some of the fines go to the costs of the emergency response to a DUI collision. If a new ordinance is passed, the residents of the city of Westminster may be found liable for all of the city’s costs, reports The Orange County Register.

In an effort to introduce cutting-edge technology in the war against drunk driving, Los Angeles County was one of four counties selected to conduct an ignition interlock device pilot program.

Effective July 1, 2010, the five-year program requires all LA County drivers convicted of a first-offense DUI to install a certified ignition interlock device in their vehicle. Given its legislatively-mandated use, here are five things to know about ignition interlocks:

Think you'll get away with traveling while intoxicated by jumping on a two-wheeler instead of a car when you're smashed?

Think again, says LAPD. Officers cited six riders for bicycle "DUIs" and impounded at least one bike after investigating reports of a group of bikers cycling under the influence (CUI) and holding up traffic in Playa del Rey, reports the Los Angeles Times.