You were driving home when you began to feel unwell. You lost focus for a few moments and swerved in and out of your lane. You consumed zero alcoholic beverages that evening.
How can you reinstate a suspended license?
After one or more drunk driving convictions, your Massachusetts license may be suspended or revoked for a varying period of time depending on the severity of your DWI charge. Once your license is suspended you cannot legally drive without further incurring new charges and potential jail time. This is a measure taken for your own safety, but once you have completed your requirements for rehabilitation, how do you apply to reinstate your suspended license?
Approximately how many people drive drunk?
You may be considering taking a drive down Massachusetts highways with just a few drinks under your belt, assuming you can make it home safely without causing an accident and without being caught. You would be surprised how many people make that decision, and how often it ends in catastrophe or in a DWI charge. Rather than taking that risk, educate yourself on the average statistics of driver danger. But how many people really drive drunk, anyway?
Bogus DUI charges: When field sobriety tests are unreliable
When you are pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving, the officer will usually ask you to take a field sobriety test. This test includes a few different tasks that are used to determine whether you are showing signs of intoxication.
A first-time DUI/OUI offense: Understand your charges
When it comes to drunk driving in Massachusetts, penalties vary by the offense and the number of times you've committed an offense. Importantly, a first-offense DUI has different penalties than a second-offense DUI.
Does driving while on drugs count as "drunk driving?"
When choosing to take to Massachusetts streets while under the influence of mind-altering substances, you may wonder if you can avoid any DUI charges if you are under the influence of not alcohol, but marijuana or other drugs. Because marijuana and narcotic drugs may not show up on a breathalyzer test, it can be confusing to know whether or not you can be charged for driving while under their influence. So does driving while on drugs count as "drunk driving?"
How do field sobriety tests and chemical tests differ?
Erratic driving, falling asleep behind the wheel or causing an accident may be clear indicators that a Boston resident is driving under the influence. Yet minus these incidents, how is a law enforcement official to know if you may be intoxicated? There are subtle clues that one might rely on (e.g., bloodshot eyes, alcohol beverage containers in your vehicle, the perceived smell of alcohol on your breath), yet none of these are sufficient to prove that you are legally drunk. Only sobriety testing can do that.
Drug addiction and criminal charges: Part of a vicious cycle
Drug addiction remains a serious problem throughout the United States, including Massachusetts. When people are addicted to drugs, they may face repercussions within the criminal justice system because of the illegality of many drugs.
