Local Law Firms Home > Drunk Driving News > New Years Eve Checkpoints Result in Numerous DUI Arrests New Years Eve Checkpoints Result in Numerous DUI Arrests As the United States pushed into a new year, many citizens found themselves at the mercy of law enforcement. Checkpoints were randomly placed throughout the country to help catch drivers under the effect of alcohol. According to law enforcement, New Years eve is one of the most notorious nights for drivers to be reckless and drive drunk. With new year celebrations, many bars and restaurants saw a completely packed house as the night ensued. The larger turnout at bars translated to a larger amount of people driving intoxicated. Every state has a blood alcohol limit of 0.08, and if a person is caught driving in excess of that, they are in trouble. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a number of arrests were made on the morning of New Years Day for driving under the influence. Over 100 tickets and warnings were issued. In San Francisco, free taxi rides were available to anyone too tipsy to drive. In the event a person was drunk and had no option other than to drive to get home, AAA was offering free tows home of up to 10 miles. The service was free for everyone to use, not just those with AAA memberships. With all the free alternatives to driving drunk in San Francisco, law enforcement planned on enforcing their "zero tolerance" drunk driving policies. Extra patrols were monitoring the streets, while DUI checkpoints were placed randomly throughout the area before, during, and after the celebrations. Many groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving urged the public to plan their transportation out before going anywhere to party. Fines for drunk driving can range from $150 to $1,000, and can come with as low as a day or as much as a year in jail for the first offense. The penalty for further offenses is even steeper and after four offenses, it is considered a felony. If you have been charged with a DUI it is important to consultant with a lawyer to help defend you legal rights. Contact a DUI defense lawyer in your area today for more information about obtaining legal representation. |