Memorial Day Travel is dangerous…

Friday, May 25, 2012

Memorial Day DUI arrests are tops among holidays…

 

As you venture out for your holiday travel this weekend, remember that Memorial Day is a busy DUI weekend. Let’s be safe out there.

The holidays are a dangerous time to be on the road, and the Memorial Day weekend proves to be one of the deadliest. Every year, hundreds of Americans die as a result of alcohol-related car crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been tracking car-crash statistics for a quarter of a century. In 2010 (the most recent data available), 397 people died in crashes over the Memorial Day weekend.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious risk. Aside from being irresponsible on the road, impaired driving carries serious insurance consequences. If your insurer discovers you’ve been convicted of a DUI, your car insurance rates will likely increase or your policy may be canceled or not renewed.

When people think of a deadly holiday, they generally associate it with New Year’s Day. While that weekend is deadly, other holidays are just as dangerous. The statistics vary annually based on which day of the week the holiday falls. For example, some holidays have a four-day weekend, while others take place during only three days — and some holidays vary in length from year to year.

Holiday car crashes in 2010

 

Holiday	Fatalities
Memorial Day (three-day period)	397 deaths (40% alcohol-related)
Fourth of July (three-day period)	392 deaths (39% alcohol-related)
Labor Day (three-day period)	403 deaths (36% alcohol-related)
New Year’s Day (three-day period)	297 deaths (48% alcohol-related)
Thanksgiving (three-day period)	431 deaths (40% alcohol-related)
Christmas (three-day period)	259 deaths (37% alcohol-related)

 

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Drunk driving is a major threat to public safety, and many states continue to work to get intoxicated drivers off the highways. NHTSA reports that in 2010 more than 10,000 people in the United States died in alcohol-impaired car crashes, or one every 51 minutes.

Jenna Jameson DUI…

Jenna Jameson DUI…

Jenna Jameson was arrested for DUI after driving into a pole.

 

Another LOST Actor arrested for DUI…

Matthew Fox can’t outfox the law.

The Lost star has been dinged with a DUI charge stemming from a boozy bust last week after being pulled over for a traffic violation in Bend, Ore., E! News has confirmed

Per the Deschutes County District Attorney’s office, Fox was officially rung up yesterday on counts of driving under the influence of intoxicants and failure to carry or present a license, both misdemeanors.

The 45-year-old actor was pulled over on May 4 shortly after 2 a.m. after failing to drive within his lane and failing to use the appropriate signal. He was subsequently taken into custody after the officer determined that he was intoxicated.

He’s set to be arraigned on June 7.

 

Bobby Brown arrested for DUI…

Whitney Houston’s ex-hubby Bobby Brown was arrested and hauled to jail Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence in Southern California.

The singer, 43, was pulled over around 12:05 p.m. in the San Fernando Valley, about two miles from his Encino residence, according to the California Highway Patrol.

“He was driving and talking on his cell phone,” Officer Tiana Reed told the Daily News. “Officers, when contacting him, noted intoxication on him — the smell of alcohol — and they performed some field sobriety tests.”

She said Brown was arrested at 12:20 p.m. and booked into a Los Angeles Police Department jail in Van Nuys.

“I don’t have any comment,” Brown’s fiancé Alicia Etheredge told the News when contacted on her cell phone shortly after the incident.

The arrest comes less than a week after county officials revealed that Houston had cocaine in her system at the time of her accidental drowning death in a hotel bathtub Feb. 11.

Brown’s 14-year marriage with Houston weathered allegations of drug use and physical abuse – real-life drama depicted on the reality show “Being Bobby Brown.”

DUI Laws expanded again…

SEATTLE — While legislators in Olympia haggled over ways to close the budget shortfall, they agreed on at least one thing, unanimously passing a bill cracking down on people driving under the influence.

“You can’t always stop people from being, becoming impaired, but this is a way to stop them from getting behind the wheel and driving,” said Amy Freedheim of the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

The legislation expanded DUI laws to include huffing, the act of inhaling chemicals to get high. It would also make it tougher to fool an ignition Breathalyzer.

The new law could force offenders to pay for cameras that prove they’re the ones taking the test instead of a sober friend or family member.

“The fixes the Legislature is doing strengthen our impaired driving laws, making our streets safer,” Freedheim said.

Advocates for stronger DUI laws applaud the bill.

Fifteen-year-old Kelsey Parret was killed in 2010 while walking on the shoulder of a road in Pierce County. Court documents say the driver appeared drunk. The suspect pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, and was sentenced to four years in prison.

“Your child is taken away forever, and he’ll go to jail for two years. Doesn’t seem fair,” said Amy Glassburn, the victim’s mother.

Parents and legislators hope these new laws will give him and other offenders pause before possibly re-offending.

“I’m glad that they’re working on it, and that they’re working so hard,” said Glassburn.

Kelsey’s parents think tougher sentencing guidelines are the next step to prevent DUIs, but say this new bill is driving home the point: drunk driving won’t be taken lightly.

The new legislation has been delivered to the governor’s office. The bill’s supporters say she is expected to sign it.

Pittsburgh Steelers Receiver reaches deal on DUI charge…

A Georgia judge ordered the National Football League star to serve 12 months of probation and perform 80 hours of community service, said Emily Gest, spokeswoman for the DeKalb County solicitor-general.

Ward, a 35-year-old, two-time Super Bowl champion, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol in the early morning hours of July 9. In a statement released at the time, he denied being impaired.

Prosecutors dropped the drunken driving charge in exchange for Ward’s plea, Gest said. He also pleaded no contest to a charge of failing to maintain his lane, commonly known as swerving, according to a statement by the solicitor.

Ward was fined $2,000. He will have to undergo an evaluation for alcohol abuse and will be required to undergo any treatment recommended, the statement said.

He will be allowed to check in with his probation officer by phone or email, which is standard practice for defendants who live out of state.

Ward, a Georgia native, was drafted in 1998. He has been selected for the Pro Bowl four times and is a former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. Ward is the all-time leader in career catches for the Steelers.

DUI loophole…

Inhaling chemicals and driving is on the rise, and prosecutors and lawmakers are racing to close a loophole in DUI laws after learning “huffing” isn’t covered. (AP Photo)
zoom Getting high and driving is against the law, right? Not necessarily. Lawmakers are racing to close a loophole in DUI laws after discovering a growing problem with people inhaling chemicals commonly known as “huffing” and then getting behind the wheel.
“Literally, people are in their car and huffing while they’re driving and it impairs you,” says Amy Freedheim, King County’s Senior Deputy Prosecutor who oversees DUI prosecutions in the county.

There’s been a significant increase overall in the use of inhalants ranging from gasoline, to glue to paint, especially among 12 to 17-year-olds, says Freedheim. And she says, as cops and prosecutors started seeing more and more problems, they discovered current DUI laws don’t prohibit huffing of legal substances.

“It turns out in the definition of drugs in Washington state, it’s confined to drugs that are created for human consumption,” Freedheim says. So getting high on chemicals like paint thinner, not created for human consumption, are exempted.

The high produced by inhaling the chemicals is compared to a stimulant, euphoric effect, according to Freedheim. But she says it is difficult for cops to detect when they stop an erratic driver.

“You don’t see any evidence of other drug use, but you see that the person is impaired.”

A new measure overhauling DUI laws recently passed by the Washington House would close the loophole to include ingesting any chemical legal or not with the intent of getting high. And evidence can include “possession of [a] canister or container” known for being used to get high, like a bag with spray paint inside.

Seattle SPD Sgt.DUI!

Star Trek actor arrested for DUI

“Star Trek” star Avery Brooks was busted for DUI .

63-year-old Brooks — who played Benjamin Sisko on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” — was arrested Sunday in Wilton, Connecticut after someone complained he was driving erratically.

DUI arrest for 49er…

 

MIAMI (AP)

See the best San Francisco 49ers action, or check out your favorite NFL team here.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was charged Saturday with driving under the influence in Miami Beach.

Miami-Dade County jail records show Smith was booked Saturday morning and held on $1,000 bond. Jail records did not show whether Smith was represented by an attorney.

A Miami-Dade County Corrections spokeswoman said Smith was arrested by Miami Beach police. A police spokesman said he had no information immediately available about the arrest.

Smith was drafted as the seventh overall draft pick in 2011. During his first season, he had 14 sacks, a franchise record for a rookie linebacker. He also ranked first in the NFL in sacks among rookies.

The 49ers said in a statement Saturday that they were aware of the arrest.

”We take these issues very seriously, but will reserve further comment at this time, as this is an ongoing legal matter,” the team said. ”The 49ers will continue to gather the facts and monitor the developments closely.”