Aventura DUI Lawyers
- Dell & Schaefer:
"Mouth alcohol" refers to the existence of any alcohol in the mouth or
esophagus. If this is present during a breath test, then the results
will be falsely high. This is because the breath machine assumes that
the breath is from the lungs; for complex physiological reasons, its
internal computer multiplies the amount of alcohol by 2100. Thus, even
a tiny amount of alcohol breathed directly into the machine from the
mouth or throat can have a huge impact. Mouth alcohol can be caused in
many ways. Belching, burping, hiccuping or vomiting within 20 minutes
of taking the test can bring vapor from alcoholic beverages still in
the stomach up into the mouth and throat. Taking a breath freshener can
send a machine's reading way up (such products as Binaca and Listerine
have alcohol in them); cough syrups and other products also contain
alcohol. Dental bridges and dental caps can trap alcohol. Blood in the
mouth from an injury is yet another source of inaccurate breath test
results: breathed into the mouthpiece, any alcohol in the blood will be
multiplied 2100 times.
- Essen, Essen, Charnota & Cohen:
Drunk driving dui dwi or driving under the influence is a serious
criminal offense. DUI / DWI is one of the most often committed crimes
nationwide and carries with it heavy penalties. Florida DUI Law states:
316.193 Driving under the influence; penalties.--
(1) A person is guilty of the offense of driving under the influence and is subject to punishment as provided in subsection (2) if the person is driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle within this state and:
(a) The person is under the influence of alcoholic beverages, any chemical substance set forth in s. 877.111, or any substance controlled under chapter 893, when affected to the extent that the person's normal faculties are impaired;
(b) The person has a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood; or
(c) The person has a breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.
When someone chooses to get a driverÕs license in Florida, they accept a number of stipulations whose repercussions are not always immediately apparent. One such Florida DUI law concept is Òimplied consent.Ó The statement, "I hereby consent to any chemical test for sobriety as required by law" appears directly above your signature. Implied consent means that when a driver in Florida operates a vehicle on the roads by this action they are considered to have given advance permission to any law enforcement officer to stop them at any time while they are on their road and test them to see if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
This implication has far-reaching effects. If a person is stopped by a police officer while they are driving, and the police officer believes that the person has consumed alcohol, they have wide authority over what they can do. This authority can range from actions as simple as stopping a car to arresting a driver on suspicion of driving under the influence.
One important example of the potential realities of implied consent is the roadside sobriety tests. While a police officer cannot force a driver to take a test, refusal can be used as evidence in DUI criminal proceedings. If the driver is then convicted of drunk driving in South Florida after they refuse to take a test they can lose their license for a year, and second and subsequent refusals can result in a suspension of 18 months.
Florida DUI laws are extremely complicated, and many fail to take into account the reality of life in 21st century America. Although society has changed, many of the laws have not, and quite often people get caught between the wheels of justice and suffer far out of proportion for the crimes they may or may not have committed.
- Roger Elkind:
Justice isn't necessarily equal for people charged with drunk driving.
Where a driver is arrested, whether he can afford a lawyer, which
lawyer he hires, which judge the case is assigned to - all can have a
tremendous effect on the outcome.
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