Recently in Understanding DUI / Research Category

Binge drinking - the social sport typically reserved for college campuses - may be more rampant throughout the United States than most of us would expect.

The Center for Disease Control recently released a report finding that more than 38 million adults binge drink alcohol about four times a month, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Although the stereotype that college kids like to binge drink may be true with more young people admitting to the activity, the report found that older people who binge drink do it more often.

In a study that's sure to cause controversy between legalized marijuana supporters and detractors, the Institute for the Study of Labor concluded that states with medical marijuana laws may have safer roads, according to laist.com.

Analyzing data of traffic fatalities from 1990 to 2009, researchers report that there were 9 percent fewer traffic fatalities in the 13 states that have legalized pot for medical purposes.

"Traffic fatalities are an important outcome from a policy perspective because they represent the leading cause of death among Americans ages five to 34," said study co-author Daniel Rees, an economics professor. "Although we make no policy recommendations, it certainly appears as though medical marijuana laws are making our highways safer."

After seeing one "Cops" episode too many, you may think you have the DUI process down pat: cops pull you over, you fail a field sobriety test, and you're placed under arrest. But many drivers don't know the reality of a person's situation after the DUI arrest. What happens when you get sent to the drunk tank?

DUI post-arrest procedures are pretty much standard across the country. The typical post-arrest procedure includes a police officer taking you straight to jail, whether for failing a field sobriety test or refusing to take one. In jail, you'll find a diverse group of people waiting to be processed for a variety of crimes.

Fellow DUI offenders could be a genial surfer dude or a woman shaking in a business suit. All will have their hands behind their backs, either restrained or not, as part of jail safety rules.

If you happen to be a hungry, 27-year-old Asian woman who just took a shot of rum with a coke back at the local watering hole the day after her menstrual cycle ended, chances are you should stay far away from driving a car or operating heavy machinery for a while.

It’s just chemistry, baby.

The Wall Street Journal recently took a look at the effects of consuming alcohol and came to the conclusion that it’s highly individualistic; but there are some tell-tale factors that you may be able to bet on.

It’s a well-known fact that drunk driving dangers increase around the holidays, but perhaps Los Angeles drivers should be wary about the first of every month as well.

Economic researchers have hypothesized in an upcoming study that recorded mortality spikes on the first day of every month may be connected to what should be the happiest day of the month: payday, reports the Freakonomics Blog.

According to researcher and Notre Dame economist William Evans, the causes of death for 17 to 29 population were correlated to high amounts of substance abuse and blunt force trauma from auto accidents.

The Costa Mesa Police Department used to always announce when and where their DUI checkpoints would be through press releases. However, KOCI News reports that the department will stop announcing the specific locations of their checkpoints next week, saying that there’s more of a deterrent factor to keep people from driving under the influence when the location of the checkpoint is unknown to the public.

Sgt. Dave Makiyama of the Costa Mesa Police Department explains that “those that listen or read about our checkpoints can plan to steer clear of the area with little fear of apprehension.” Hence, the department believes that implementing surprise checkpoint locations will be a more effective form of enforcement.

If you’re looking to download a smartphone app that provides information on DUI checkpoint locations in your area, you won’t be able to do so through Apple’s app store or through the BlackBerry maker Research In Motion. According to CNET, Apple updated its App Store Review Guidelines this week. Section 22.8 of the updated guidelines explicitly states that “apps which contain DUI checkpoints that are not published by law enforcement agencies, or encourage and enable drunk driving, will be rejected.”

The decision for Apple to ban DUI checkpoint apps comes after four U.S. senators requested that these programs be pulled from the market. The lawmakers argued that the DUI checkpoint apps encourage drunk driving and other forms of illegal activity. However, attorneys seem to disagree.

The smartphone apps that warn drivers about DUI checkpoint locations in their local area have become quite controversial over the past several months. Hence, it might soon be time to officially say good-bye to apps like Checkpointer, Buzzed, or Fuzz Alert Pro.

Some people argue that these apps encourage drunk driving and that traffic safety is at risk now that there are free tools out there to help drivers avoid checkpoints. As we've reported in earlier blog posts, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion agreed to stop selling the apps that help users avoid DUI checkpoints after U.S. senators requested that these programs be pulled from the market.

If you are behind the wheel and an officer suspects that you've been driving under the influence, should you submit yourself to chemical testing? Under California's implied consent law, a person can be arrested and charged if he or she does not give consent to chemical testing of his or her blood or urine for the purpose of determining the drug content or alcoholic content of his or her blood.

Yet does a person face harsher penalties when he or she has been found to have been driving under the influence after BAC testing or is it worse to just refuse BAC testing altogether? In most scenarios, it's probably best to just submit yourself to chemical testing even it you could be impaired because there are some harsh penalties associated with BAC test refusal in California.

Say good-bye to cheap booze. In an effort to make the Los Angeles Dodgers ballpark a bit safer, Dodger Stadium will no longer be serving half-price beer at certain games, as once advertised.

KTLA News reported that the Dodgers had six scheduled "throw back" games in which the team would dress in 1940s uniforms and food, soft drinks, and beer would be sold at half-price. Now, it looks like the food and soft drinks will stay at half price on the selected throwback days, but that the discounted beer will not be offered.