DUI Laws
On April 7, 2002 Governor Bush signed a Bill that changed many of the DUI laws. Below is a list of some of the DUI laws that have either changed or will be new Florida DUI laws as of July 2003.
Felony Driving Under The Influence
- A third DUI conviction within ten years of any prior DUI is a third degree felony. Prior to July of 2002 a third DUI within 10 years was a misdemeanor offense. Some Florida jurisdictions will still prosecute these cases as misdemeanors.
Ignition Interlock Devices
-An Ignition Interlock Device is a device placed inside a vehicle which requires the driver to breathe into a tube before the car will start. If any alcohol is detected on the drivers breath the vehicle will not start.
-Any person convicted of a second or third DUI that intends to obtain a permanent or restricted driver license, will be required to have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle at their own expense. The number of DUI convictions determines how long the interlock device must remain in the car. Previous to the new law (effective July 2003), Interlock devices were only installed in vehicles pursuant to court order. Drivers will now be required to submit proof of the interlock installation to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Breath Refusal Law Changes
-As of July 1, 2002, a second refusal to submit to a breath test can be charged as a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail. The license suspension will remain at 18 months. The constitutionality of this new law is being challenged by multiple criminal defense lawyers throughout the state.
Attorneys Dell and Schaefer – Alcohol in the body
Alcohol is a general term denoting a family of organic chemicals with common properties. Members of this family include ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, and others. This introduction discusses the physical, chemical, and physiological aspects of the most commonly ingested of these ethanol.
Alcohol (ethanol) is a clear, volatile liquid that burns (oxidizes) easily. It has a slight, characteristic odor and is very soluble in water. Alcohol is an organic compound composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen; its chemical formula is C2H5OH.
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and it is the central nervous system which is the bodily system that is most severely affected by alcohol (see chart below). The degree to which the central nervous system function is impaired is directly proportional to the concentration of alcohol in the blood.
When ingested, alcohol passes from the stomach into the small intestine, where it is rapidly absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout the body. Because it is distributed so quickly and thoroughly the alcohol can affect the central nervous system even in small concentrations. In low concentrations, alcohol reduces inhibitions. As blood alcohol concentration increases, a person’s response to stimuli decreases markedly, speech becomes slurred, and he or she becomes unsteady and has trouble walking. With very high concentrations – greater than 0.35 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to 0.35 grams/210 liters of breath ) – a person can become comatose and die. The American Medical Association has defined the blood alcohol concentration level of impairment for all people to be 0.04 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to .04 grams/210 liters of breath). The following is a generally accepted guide to the affects of alcohol.
Source: Duiattorneyflorida
Tags: alcohol, attorneys, lawyers
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