Recently in DUI Laws Category

We previously reported that members of the Arizona state legislature were starting off the New Year with the ambitious goal of fighting cellphone use in cars. Now, a pair of bills is slowly, but successfully, making its way through the state legislature.

Legislation banning teens from using cellphones in their car for the first six months that they have a license has achieved its first few steps in becoming a law. The Arizona Senate approved the ban last week, reports the Associated Press.

With Arizona reaching milestones in the area of medical marijuana, we felt it would be the appropriate time to address the issue of driving under the influence of medical marijuana. Here are a few things Arizona residents need to know on the current state of medical marijuana and its impact on your driving:

Some members of the Arizona state legislature are starting off the New Year with an ambitious goal: fighting distracted driving on the roads. And they’re doing it with distracted driving legislation that proposes interesting solutions to the problem.

State Sen. John McComish sponsored a bill that would completely ban teens from using cell phones in their car for the first six months that they have a license, according to azfamily.com.

As many Arizona drivers know, the Grand Canyon State has some of the strictest DUI laws in the country. This includes mandated time in jail and the installation of an ignition interlock device for all DUI offenders.

Arizona’s DUI penalties will get slightly more lenient with the New Year, however, as new DUI laws go into effect, reports azfamily.com. But don’t expect penalties to get too soft.

Among the flurry of laws passed this year, a few dealt with the rights of and penalties against drunk drivers. One of those laws decreased the required time of installation interlock devices for first-time, non-extreme DUI offenders with a record of good behavior from a year to six months if they participate in an alcohol education program. Arizona is one of the few states to have required a one-year penalty.

We read about the studies proving the dangers of texting while driving, and heard the stories about victims who died tragically while the remorseful distracted drivers went to jail. Yet, our attitudes reportedly didn't change, and we still kept texting, both in Phoenix and across the country.

Now, transportation safety experts with the federal government are calling for a complete cell phone and personal electronics ban for all American drivers, even if you are using a hands-free device, reports MSNBC.com. The only exceptions - GPS navigation devices and use during emergency situations.

"No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life," said Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, which made the recommendation.

Arizona is particularly known for its strict DUI penalties, but it has yet to require the alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelets made infamous by Lindsay Lohan. Are Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring (SCRAM) bracelets the future of Arizona DUI penalties? What exactly would its inclusion mean for Arizona drivers?

Many jurisdictions have begun using SCRAM bracelets to monitor the alcohol use of certain convicted DUI drivers. The bracelets are attached to a person’s ankle and detect the presence of alcohol in the person’s sweat. Typically, courts will order their use in early release and probation cases or for repeat DUI offenders.

It's safe to say most people hate giving blood. It's even a surer bet that most people hate giving blood after being pulled over for a DUI. However, blood alcohol tests can be the difference between freedom and a night in the drunk tank. Here are five things you should know about blood alcohol tests and that all-important blood alcohol concentration (BAC) percentage.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a drunk driver, it is understandable if you want to hold accountable those responsible. The reckless drunk driver is an obvious choice, but is the person who sold them alcohol liable to you? Can you take legal action against a restaurant or bar owner for providing them the fateful drinks?

Under Arizona state law, a person who has been injured or a family that has lost a loved one in a DUI crash can pursue legal action against any establishment with a liquor license that knowingly sold alcohol to an intoxicated person. Referred to as "dram shop laws," named after 18th Century England gin suppliers, its purpose is to encourage owners to take reasonable steps to protect the public from the foreseeable risks of intoxicated patrons.

Arizonans know that we have some of the strictest DUI laws in the country, and the punishments connected with breaking those laws can be just as severe. The next time you consider getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after having one-too-many drinks, reflect on this list of the top five worst DUI consequences you can get in the Grand Canyon State for first-time offenders:

You've paid your dues for one costly night of drinking under the influence. You paid the hefty fines, spent the time in jail, and may have had an ignition interlock device installed in your car for several months. Now that you've done the time for doing the crime, you'd like to have it all behind you. But how does one go about a DUI expungement in Arizona?

Although Arizona isn't one of the several states that specifically have laws governing DUI expungement, the state courts do provide a way to expunge your criminal record. Under state law, expungement is referred to as the "setting aside" of a judgment.