February 2010 marks the one year anniversary of the enhancements to South Carolina’s DUI laws, which provided for increased penalties, leading South Carolina’s DUI laws to be among the stiffest in the nation. The increased penalties have received national attention. According tothe March 2010 issue of Men’s Health, Columbia, South Carolina ranks 13th on the list of the top 100 "drunkest cities," a list based on a suite of alcohol-related factors including: death rates from alcoholic liver disease, drinking-related vehicle … [Read more...]
What You Need to Know if You Are Pulled Over For DUI in South Carolina
April 16, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Mother and Daughter Arrested For DUI One Hour Apart
April 14, 2020 by
South Carolina DUI Lawyers Although it occurred over the summer, this is one news story worth sharing. It really does validate the statement "Like mother like daughter." In Idaho, in the span of an hour, a woman and her daughter were both arrested for drunken driving. After 28-year-old Alisha Gardner was arrested around 11 p.m. Saturday July 18th in Idaho Falls. Ms. Gardner's mother, who ironically came to the jail to pick up her daughter's dog, soon found herself behind bars as well. Authorities say a sheriff's officer pulled the … [Read more...]
Drunk Drivers of Mopeds Beware
April 8, 2020 by Leave a Comment
The State newspaper reported Wednesday that a new prefiled bill would outlaw driving under the influence while on a moped. Currently mopeds are excluded from the definition of “motor vehicle” under South Carolina law. The bill, H. 3163, amends the definition of motor vehicle to remove the exclusion of mopeds, thus making any use of a moped while driving under the influence illegal. The text of the bill states as follows: SECTION 1. Section 56-5-130 of the 1976 Code is amended to read: "Section 56-5-130. Every vehicle which is … [Read more...]
South Carolina DUI Tips
April 8, 2020 by
South Carolina's DUI laws are some of the stiffest in the nation. The penalties have received national attention. According tothe March 2010 issue of Men’s Health, Columbia, South Carolina ranks 13th on the list of the top 100 "drunkest cities," a list based on a suite of alcohol-related factors including: death rates from alcoholic liver disease, drinking-related vehicle crashes, frequency of binge-drinking, number of DUI arrests, and severity of DUI penalties. In the event that you are pulled for DUI, there are several … [Read more...]
Marijuana DUIs Raise Concerns Over Traffic Safety
April 5, 2020 by Leave a Comment
As More States Legalize Marijuana, Concern Rises Over Fatal Marijuana DUI Accidents More states have passed legislation legalizing medical marijuana, and both Colorado and Washington state have passed legal recreational marijuana laws. However, in states with some form of legalized marijuana, police have documented more marijuana DUIs, which has raised concerns over the traffic safety hazards caused by people driving while under the influence of drugs. Studies show that marijuana slows decision-making, decreases peripheral vision, and … [Read more...]
Top 5 Mistakes Drivers Make When Stopped for DUI in South Carolina
April 1, 2020 by Leave a Comment
DUI in South Carolina is a serious offense with serious penalties. It is important for you to know what to do if stopped by an officer for driving under the influence. Below is a list of 5 mistakes NOT to make if you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Do not answer any questions about how much you have had to drink. You should not be rude, but simply state that you prefer not to answer the question or state that you would prefer to talk to an attorney first. Do not take a field sobriety test. Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs)are … [Read more...]
Traffic Offenses: Can I Keep My License?
March 29, 2020 by
Common South Carolina Traffic Violations Include: speeding, following too closely, driving with a suspended license, DUS DUI, driving without insurance, careless driving, and reckless driving. Many people do not consider that in addition to your traffic citation, you can lose points off of your driver’s license and you may be forced to pay increased insurance premiums. When making your decision about how to best handle your traffic ticket, you need to make sure that you understand the consequences of your conviction. A … [Read more...]
Man Charged with 4 DUIs in One Day
March 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Rhode Island Resident Charged for 4 DUIs in 30 Hours An unfortunate new DUI arrest record has been set – a resident of Rhode Island has been arrested for 4 DUIs in the span of 30 hours. The DUI spree began on Sunday evening. John Lourenco, 53, crashed his Dodge pickup into an SUV, which caused minor injuries to the two children buckled up in the back seat. Instead of being taken to jail, however, Lourenco was taken to a local hospital for a urine sample to confirm his blood alcohol level. He was restrained for attempting to throw the urine … [Read more...]
Truth About Field Sobriety Tests
March 26, 2020 by
South Carolina DUI Lawyers Can I be Arrested for Failing an FST? Field sobriety tests (FSTs) were created to help law enforcement gauge the relative sobriety or intoxication of a driver, and cannot be used to determine blood alcohol level. However, a police officer who has pulled a suspicious motorist or who is working a sobriety checkpoint can request a battery of field sobriety tests in determining probable cause of an arrest and the use of an evidentiary alcohol test. If you’ve been arrested and charged with a DUI based on your … [Read more...]
Drinking Underage and Driving
March 26, 2020 by
South Carolina DUI Lawyers SC Has A Zero Tolerance Policy Any person under the age of 21 who drives a motor vehicle after drinking alcohol faces a zero tolerance policy for drinking and driving. It only takes a blood alcohol concentration of .02 to be charged with penalties for underage drinking and driving. Underage drivers will automatically have their license suspended for at least 3 months. Consequences of Underage DUI If you are under 21 and and your blood alcohol (BAC) is at least .02 and less than .08 License (or permit) … [Read more...]
