Recently in Understanding DUI / Research Category

Pennsylvania's Dept. of Transportation (also known as PennDOT) finalized changes to its driver record-check system, which will make accident information accessible by school districts hiring drivers, the Delaware County Daily Times reported.

The push for more-stringent checks of driver records was a direct response to a Feb. 17 incident where school bus driver Frederick Poust III hit and killed another motorist. He was hired by the district despite a 1999 incident where he struck and killed another motorist while distracted by his mobile phone.

Police in East Earl Township, about an hour's drive west of Philadelphia, have a brand new tool in the fight against drunk driving, as reported by Lancaster Online. East Earl Twp. police chief Kevin McCarthy said his department's new DataMaster DMT is one of only eight in the state.

And after all six of the department's full-time officers were trained through a 32-hour course, each is qualified to operate the high-tech alcohol-sniffing machine:

"We're probably one of the few or only police departments in Pennsylvania that has every full-time officer certified to operate the testing equipment."

So what's the big deal with DataMaster DMT?  

Who, me? Few Pennsylvania residents who drive while intoxicated or send text messages while their eyes should be on the road would admit to such violations. But the state's Dept. of Transportation is asking drivers to voluntarily submit to an anonymous survey asking these and 15 other traffic-related questions, PennLive reported.

And since it's anonymous, Philadelphia DUI lawyers shouldn't be too concerned that their clients will blurt out anything incriminating.

Although millions of federal grant dollars flow into Pennsylvania police departments each year for DUI enforcement, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that it's still not enough to cover expenses. The DUI grants are used for DUI checkpoints and other highway safety programs.

That leaves municipalities, already tightening their belts in the recession, to pick up the costs associated with sending officers to court hearings. Their presence ensures, among other things, the ability of prosecutors to better square off against Philadelphia DUI lawyers. 

A breathalyzer test is the last thing any motorist wants to take after having a few drinks away from home. But a new consumer-targeted breathalyzer device small enough to fit in your pocket, as described in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, just might prevent accidents, embarrassing calls home or even a few deaths.

If the AlcoHawk Slim Ultra becomes as popular as the iPhone, it could cut into the business of Philadelphia DUI lawyers (but don't hold your breath). At $69.99, they're considerably more affordable than paying the fines and other expenditures that come with a DUI conviction in Pennsylvania. 

Sipping on a cold beer while boating down the Susquehanna River on a hot summer's day seems totally normal. But just like driving on terra firma, Pennsylvania police take boating under the influence (or BUI) very seriously.

An article about the state's planned crackdown on BUI violators in The York Dispatch quotes Waterways Conservation Officer Dave Hurst, who describes how many people believe drinking and boating "go hand-in-hand" but that it can be a deadly combination:

"If things go bad, you're in the middle of the river. You have to have your wits about you."

Old Lycoming Township Police Chief Bill Solomon, who coordinates the county's DUI task force, told a Williamsport Sun-Gazette reporter that at least one individual in Pennsylvania will die at the hands of a drunk driver during the July 4 holiday weekend. As a result, PA residents should expect PA DUI checkpoints this upcoming weekend. That statement given by Bill Solomon may be an understatement, as holiday weekends typically see spikes in alcohol-related fatalities:

"Traditional issues over the Fourth of July weekend are heavy traffic, aggressive drivers who are not paying attention, speeding, and people drinking and driving."

As has already been widely reported, Pennsylvania state police arrested a record number of motorists for driving under the influence last year. But a Scranton Times-Tribune article suggests that greater scrutiny of motorists' drug use might be one of the main reasons for the increase.

More than 1,100 Pennsylvania drivers were tested by police last year for signs of illegal and prescription drug impairment. A new state training program on drug impairment has made state troopers better able to detect dangerous drivers, often leading to DUI arrests.

And as any Philadelphia DUI lawyer will tell you, impairment by legal prescriptions drugs, let alone illicit substances, is at least as serious under the law as drunk driving.

DUI is the most frequently charged crime in suburban Bucks County, according to an article in the Bucks County Courier Times. But the entire state of Pennsylvania, which set a record last year for DUI arrests with nearly 17,000, also should serve as a sobering reminder to stay safe on the roads this summer.

One of the issues discussed in the article is the seemingly massive gulf between having one or two drinks before driving and becoming heavily intoxicated. Pennsylvania DUI attorney Michael Saile Jr. said drivers should simply drink moderately if they must drink:

"I would skip that martini. I would not have more than two glasses of red wine with dinner."

This is not the first time we've discussed ignition interlock on this blog. But as any Pennsylvania DUI attorney would tell you, ignition interlock is a subject you could never discuss too much of on a Pennsylvania DUI law blog. It's up there, with breathalyzers, sobriety checkpoints and the ARD program-- a good topic to know.

In our previous post, we discussed the fact that the state of Pennsylvania has been called out for being behind on highway safety laws. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette criticized the state of Pennsylvania for being behind on several laws, including the texting-while driving laws and mandating ignition interlock for drunk driving convicts.  

What is "ignition interlock"?