If you do not want drunk drivers on the road simply stop their cars from starting.

That is what Arizona did by mandating the use of ignition interlock devices.

The following article was provided by MyImprov

There is currently an effort under way, supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other anti-drunk driving forces, which would require all automobiles come equipped with an interlock device installed on the steering wheel. The system is called Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety and is being developed jointly by the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety, comprised of the world’s leading auto manufacturers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The move is meant both as an automatic deterrent against drunk drivers and a reminder to all motorists that driving under the influence is a serious issue. The House and Senate Commerce Committees unanimously approved some funding for this work as part of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act during the last Congress. The measure has a smattering of support in Congress but seems unlikely to garner enough votes to pass any time soon. Read more …

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But what is the thinking of getting drunk and driving with your children in the car?

Read the following two cases and decide if their penalties should be higher then an ordinary DUI.

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The following is from AZ Central:

A Fort Mohave man faces a charge of aggravated DUI after drinking and driving with his 1-year-old daughter in the car, authorities said.

Francisco Javier Montijo, 41, was driving at an inconsistent speed and was swerving when he was pulled over Monday in western Arizona, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.

Three open beers were found in the vehicle and Montijo admitted having several beers, the Sheriff’s Office said. He was taken into custody and had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.272 percent, authorities said.

A second adult in the vehicle, 61-year-old Jose Garcia-Morales of Fort Mohave, was also arrested after being accused of having an open container in a vehicle. – Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/04/10/20120410arizona-man-dui-baby-car-abrk.html#ixzz1sDp8qHbG

The following is from the Tuscon Citizen:

Phoenix police said a woman was arrested Tuesday night after crashing into a wall outside a school while driving drunk with three of her children in the car.

Deana Unterbrink, 34, of Phoenix, reportedly caused $1,000 in damage to a cinderblock wall outside Adams Traditional Academy near Pinnacle Peak Road and 23rd Avenue, according to court documents obtained Friday.

Authorities said an open alcohol container and several unopened bottles of liquor were found in her purse.

Unterbrink is facing two counts of aggravated DUI and three counts of DUI with a passenger under 15-years-old. Read more … http://tucsoncitizen.com/arizona-news/2012/04/06/phoenix-mother-faces-dui-charge-after-crash/

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It seems that marijuana use also will get you charged with a dwi. Imagine that.

The following is an excerpt from an article shwoing that there has been an increase in arrests in Arizona for driving under the influence of marijuana. Even when it is legally used.

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While legal medical marijuana has brought relief to thousands of patients in Arizona since 2010, it has also brought about an increase in the number of cannabis-related DUI’S in the state.

Statistics from this past holiday season reveal that the majority of DUI’s – 56 percent – were for drugs (including other legal and illegal substances besides pot) compared to just 16 percent of drug DUI’s in 2002. In all, 1,700 people were arrested in 2011 in Mesa for drug DUI’s, which constituted 52 percent of all DUI arrests for the year.

Arizona pot patients are not permitted to drive while medicated and Mesa P.D. Sergeant David Miecke told the East Valley Tribune that drivers ranging from seniors to teenagers have been busted for drug DUI’s. He predicted the number of pot DUI’s will increase dramatically this summer once the state-approved dispensaries open to provide medicine to even more patients. Read More …

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You need to know your rights if you are pulled over. Do not try to defend yourself.

The following is information provided by an attorney who is very familiar with the laws in the state of Arizona.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety recently released the Arizona DUI Enforcement Statistics for 2011, which details information about arrests made for all driving under the influence (DUI) offenses in Arizona for the 2011 fiscal year. James E. Novak, a criminal defense lawyer in Tempe, discusses implications of the increase in drug DUI arrests and potential penalties an individual could face if convicted of driving under the influence of drugs in Arizona.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) April 10, 2012

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The Arizona DUI Enforcement Statistics for 2011, as published by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, showed an increase in drug DUI arrests for the ninth straight year in 2011. Tempe criminal defense lawyer James E. Novak analyzes the increased number of drug DUI arrests, DUI laws in Arizona and the penalties an individual could face if convicted of a drugged DUI offense.

As reported in the Arizona DUI Enforcement Statistics for 2011, total DUI arrests increased nearly 29% and went up from 19,353 in 2010 to 27,125 in 2011.

According to Phoenix drug DUI defense attorney James E. Novak, “A significant factor of the increase in total DUI arrests in Arizona in 2011 was due to driving under the influence of drugs, which included arrests for driving under the influence of marijuana, other illegal drugs and prescriptions drugs, even if the medication was dispensed legally.”

As stated in the Arizona DUI Enforcement Statistics for 2011, total DUI drugs arrests increased from 1,674 in 2010 to 2,961 in 2011, which is a 44% increase. The percentage of drugged DUI arrests increased more than every other DUI offense in Arizona, including aggravated DUI, misdemeanor DUI, extreme DUI and juvenile DUI.

The total number of arrests for driving under the influence of drugs in Mesa showed an even greater increase than the number reported for the entire state. According to an article by Garin Groff in the East Valley Tribune on March 2, 2012, the number of arrests for DUI drugs in Mesa was 52%, which constituted over half of all DUI arrests in Mesa.

“One of the primary reasons for the increase in DUI drugs arrests is because many people who are pulled over for this offense are not aware that driving under the influence of drugs is illegal, including driving under the influence of many prescription medications and medical marijuana,” stated Novak, a Mesa marijuana DUI lawyer.

Novak continued, “Arizona has some of the strictest DUI laws in the country. Under the Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-1381, an individual may be convicted of a DUI even if they have consumed alcohol and their blood alcohol content is below the legal limit of .08%. Additionally, an individual may be convicted of a DUI if they are under the influence of any drug or substance that causes them to be “impaired to the slightest degree” while driving or having actual physical control of a vehicle. Arizona law specifies drugs or substances to include any drug, vapor-releasing substance that contains a toxic substance, any combination of alcohol or drugs, and any controlled substance.”

Under Arizona law, the penalties for a DUI with drug and DUI with alcohol convictions are generally the same. According to the Arizona Revised Statutes, an individual charged with a first-time DUI drugs offense, such as DUI marijuana or DUI prescription drugs, can be convicted of a class 1 misdemeanor as long as no other aggravated factors are present and it is not a repeat offense. Drug DUI penalties can include 10 consecutive days in jail; a 90-day driver’s license suspension or denial; probation; drug and alcohol education program; installation of an ignition interlock device for six months or the current statutory limit; and fines, fees, costs and assessments that can exceed $1,200.

As stated in the East Valley Tribune article, many law enforcement officers claim prescription drug abuse and Arizona’s new medical marijuana law contributed to the increased number of drug DUI arrests.

“Although police officers assert medical marijuana and prescription drug abuse primarily caused the increase in drugged DUI arrests, one of the principal factors in the increase is because law enforcement in Arizona have stepped up their overall efforts to reduce the total number of driving under the influence offenses through the use of DUI checkpoints and DUI task forces throughout Arizona,” said Novak.

James E. Novak of The Law Office of James E. Novak, PLLC is a criminal defense lawyer in Tempe who exclusively defends both felony and misdemeanor DUI and criminal charges throughout Maricopa County, including the Phoenix-metro area, Tempe, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Gilbert and Chandler, and all surrounding cities.

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Well guess again. DWI arrests are on the rise. And not necessarily because there are more police on the road or that detection methods are becoming more sophisticated.

No. Its simply because more people are driving drunk.

And although this is a nationwide trend it seems to be particularly bad in Arizona and especially in the Phoenix area.

The following 3 excerpts show you the extent of the drunk driving problem in the Phoenix area.

DUI Arrests Rise for Ninth Straight Year to 27K in 2011 – The …

phoenixduiattorneyblog.com2/8/12

DUI Arrests Rise for Ninth Straight Year to 27K in 2011. By Dyanna Quizon, Esq. on February 8, 2012 12:05 PM The total number of Arizona DUI arrests rose for the ninth straight year last year, reports KVOA.com. Considering …

Phoenix Named One of the Cities with the Most Drunk Drivers – The …

phoenixduiattorneyblog.com12/22/11

Phoenix Named One of the Cities with the Most Drunk Drivers. By Dyanna Quizon, Esq. on December 22, 2011 3:06 PM  Despite Arizona’s reputation for having some of the strictest DUI laws in the nation, its capital reportedly …

DUI Attorneys in Phoenix Warn of Increased Patrols – EIN News (press release)

news.google.com

DUI Attorneys in Phoenix Warn of Increased PatrolsEIN News (press release)/EINPresswire.com/ DWI Lawyer Phoenix warn residents of increased police patrols this weekend. With the Super Bowl and Phoenix Open, the police will be looking for impair …

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