New Year’s Eve is quickly approaching and with it comes plenty of celebration, but before you start popping the champagne, make sure you have a designated driver or download a ride-sharing app such as Uber or Lyft. In Virginia, a person with a BAC level of 0.08 percent or higher is considered “alcohol impaired.” The CDC states that roughly one out of every three traffic accidents in the country involve a drunk driver.
Statistics shared by the Virginia DMV revealed that nearly 7, 500 car accidents last year were caused because of someone driving under the influence. Out of those accidents, 262 resulted in death—that accounts for thirty-four percent of all traffic deaths in Virginia. Over half of all alcohol related crashes in 2016 resulted in personal injury.
Virginia enforces tough penalties on drunk drivers. A DUI charge has the potential to affect you for the rest of your life. All DUI charges will be reported to the Central Criminal Records Exchange by law enforcement at the time of your arrest meaning that you will have a criminal record that can show up when applying for things such as a job or a lease. Your first DUI offense in Virginia carries a mandatory minimum fine of $250 and a one-year license suspension.
Virginia also has a zero-tolerance policy instituted for drivers under the age of 21. If you are under the age of 21 and driving with a BAC of at least 0.02, your driving privilege will be suspended for one year and you will be required to pay a minimum mandatory fine of $500 or perform fifty-hours of community service.
You can also help prevent car accidents and injury by learning to recognize the signs of a possible drunk driver on the road. If you think you see an alcohol-impaired driver on the road call 911; you could save a life. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put together a list of over one-hundred visual cues to help spot drunk drivers; here are the four main categories:
- Problems Staying in Lane: Alcohol-impaired drivers often have difficulty maintaining a steady position when driving. Some common signs include swerving or making abrupt turns to straighten out a vehicle and driving with one set of wheels on the wrong side of the line.
- Speed and Braking Difficulties: Impaired drivers may stop suddenly or well behind/ahead of the limit line. They may also fail to maintain a consistent speed or drive well below the speed limit.
- Lacking Awareness of Driving Conditions: Indicators include driving in the wrong direction, driving without headlights in the dark, or using the wrong turn signal when changing lanes or making a turn.
- Poor Judgement: Alcohol-impaired drivers will be less cautious and may tailgate, make illegal turns, or change lanes too quickly or too slowly.
Ring in the New Year in the best and safest way possible—with a sober driver. Happy New Year from the Thomson Law Firm!
If you or someone you love has been injured in a DUI crash, call The Thomson Law Firm today for a FREE consultation. Roanoke Accident Lawyer Paul Thomson serves clients in Virginia and West Virginia. Call today (540) 777-4900.
