In our last post, we began discussing the results of a new report cited by Gil Kerlihowske of the National Drug Control Policy which pointed to the need for increased attention to drugged driving.

Drugged driving, like drunk driving, is a violation of Connecticut’s DUI law, and can result in similar consequences. Because both alcohol and various drugs affect driving ability, there is a strong push to battle these offenses. As we noted the National Drug Control Policy and Mothers Against Drunk Driving will be conducting a public awareness campaign to do just that.

Interestingly, the report cited by Kerlihowske indicated crashes caused by stimulants has decreased by 40 percent since 2005, while positive results for narcotics and depressants have increased by 36 percent and 39 percent.

The 2009 data also shows that alcohol often goes along with drugs. Among drivers that tested positive for any drug, 48 percent also tested positive for alcohol.

Although DUI offenses can be prosecuted without any direct evidence of a person’s blood alcohol content, drunk driving suspects are often given a breath test. A BAC above .08 will result in a presumption that the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence. An impaired driver will be arrested, their vehicle towed at their expense, and they will be taken to the police station and kept under arrest until bail.

With each DUI offenses, penalties tend to become harsher. Connecticut, like many states, takes driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs very seriously. It is important for anybody charged with DUI to obtain the best representation possible.

Source: CBS News, “Drugged driving report shows high toll among young,” David W Freeman, Monica DyBuncio, Oct 13, 2011.

dui detection with flashlights

How can Technology help in getting affordable dui insurance?

Well, the truth is at one end of the spectrum, technology can easily help in identifying dui cases and on another hand it can help you in getting affordable dui insurance rates, by preventing any further dui offences.
Ultimately the choice is yours, how you want to use technology.

Latest dui technology
Beware of the flashlights: The officers are carrying alcohol sensing flashlights that appear as ordinary flashlights. When a green light flashes, it denotes that a small amount of alcohol is there. A red light is an indication of a particular odor.
These lights would not be admissible as evidence in the court, this would help the police officer determine whether a field sobriety test is needed. These lights have been used in Illinois, (a technology savvy state) in conjunction with increased roadside safety, accident prevention and to curb DUI’s during the late summer holidays.
Intoxilyer 8000 : This is a modernized breath test machine that would detect the blood-alcohol level into them. The findings of this instrument are admissible as evidence in court. Now, with this device it is not necessary to take a suspected driver from the scene to a hospital or police station for testing.
Technology that prevents dui and gives you affordable dui insurance, if you are already under sui insurance.
There are three ways in which you can prevent dui which is an ignition interlock device, finger print activation and continuous alcohol monitoring device.
Ignition interlock system is the oldest and best way of preventing a repeated DUI. When you attaché this to the car than when he or she breathes into a special apparatus to start the car. If alcohol is detected on the breathe than the car would not start. Once the car is in running the driver would have to breathe into the machine and ensure uninhibited driving. If this happens the car’s alarm system would start and the police would be notified. In very few newer machines we have the car engine shut down automatically but this is not yet common.
Finger print activation : There is a system now in newer cars wherein the driver needs to activate a fingerprint detection system, perform various motor skill functions to start the car. This is to test that the driver is not impaired.
Continuous alcohol monitoring: Another device monitors the alcohol levels through sweat on the skin. The ankle bracelet, issued as a result of a court’s decision, features a transdermal alcohol sensor which can give information to the person wearing the lock. This would prevent the dui from occurring.

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Jonathan : My son had some beer last night (claims just two but…) and at three this morning decided to run his friends home. Stopped and breathalised, failed taken to the police station and (very rural location so no nearby machine) was asked to provide a blood sample. It took the Doctor about an hour to arrive and take the blood. About 5 minutes later they gave him another breath test which he passed, so they returned his keys and let me take him home. He says the machine they used gave a digital readout and indicated 41 at the roadside initially, and 33 on the same hand-held machine after the blood test. My questions are:

How accurate are these digital read-out breathalyzers?

When they analyse his blood sample, will they back-calculate, or take the reading as it stands? Will his car insurance premium and will he need SR22 car insurance or DUI car insurance?

Response : If your son is charged with a DUI convictions than he would definetly be rated as a high risk drver and he would need DUI car insurance. Secondly, whether he needs SR22 car insurance or not would depend on the fact that he was involved in an accident or if he was driving without insurance or if his driving license is suspended.

The breathalyzers the police use are stringently tested before they are approved for use by the Home Office, they are usually accurate and reliable.The blood samples alcohol level will not be back calculated to the time of the suspected offence, it will be used and analyzed as is.

By the sounds of things, your son may have every chance that his blood test will come back below the legal limit of 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. Having said that, there really is no way to predict what the outcome will be with any amount of accuracy. Especially when breathalyzer readings show that the BAC (blood alcohol content) level was so close to the legal limit and being marginally under the legal limit on the second reading.

Whether your son will be prosecuted or not will rest upon the blood alcohol content of the blood sample provided for analysis.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Thanks