Virginia drivers: be aware of the holiday drunk driving crackdown

A winter drunk driving crackdown is in effect, thanks to the efforts of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.  This annual event, “Drunk Driving.  Over the Limit.  Under Arrest.” Involves law enforcement agencies across the country, and is an effort to limit the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths that happen every holiday season.

 

This holiday season Secretary LaHood has chosen to focus on a “No Refusal” strategy for suspected drunk drivers.  This strategy would enable law enforcement officers to quickly get warrants to draw blood from drivers suspected to be intoxicated.  This would get around a common strategy of drunken drivers, which is to refuse the breathalyzer test.

 

How will law enforcement officers be able to get a fast warrant on, say, a weekend night?  Judges would agree to be “on call”, available to issue warrants immediately.  The hope is that more drunken drivers will be prosecuted if they cannot refuse to be tested, and more prosecutions should send the message that drunk driving is not acceptable.

 

According to national statistics maintained by the NHTSA, drivers in many states refuse to take a breathalyzer test in an effort to evade a drunk driving charge.  The highest refusal rate in the US is in New Hampshire, where 81 percent of drivers refuse to take the breathalyzer. 

 

The holiday drunk driving crackdown will last this year from December 15 to January 3.

 

Were you or someone you love injured by a suspected drunk driver in Virginia?  You deserve justice – call our Culpeper or Warrenton office today to get help with your case.