Michigan DUI - Help is Here - Comprehensive DUI Resources

DUI Convictions in all 50 States

Tom RC — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Follow the link to see the DUI convictions state by state http://1800duilaws.com/forms/duiarrest.asp

Meet the Nation's Biggest Buzz Kill - Cop Excels At Catching DUI's

Tom RC — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:04:00 GMT

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - Police Officer Mark Brinkman is an expert in spotting people driving under the influence. In fact, he's so good, while most police arrest 20 drunk drivers a year, a few years back he arrested 100. And then the next year he caught 200. He may be the best buzz-killer in the land.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15447147/

BUSTED - The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters (Video)

Tom RC — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:06:00 GMT

Created by Flex Your Rights and narrated by retired ACLU director Ira Glasser, BUSTED realistically depicts the pressure and confusion of common police encounters. In an entertaining and revealing manner, BUSTED illustrates the right and wrong ways to handle different police encounters and pays special attention to demonstrating how you, the viewer, can courteously and confidently refuse police searches.
Be patient, video may take a minute to load.

Petition to Repeal the Driver Responsibility Law

Tom RC — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:13:00 GMT

Follow the Link to sign the petition.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mdrl06/petition.html

Also On The Net:

Effort to Repeal the Law

People Share Their Stories About the Law

Car Insurance: Money-Saving Tips

Tom RC — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:57:00 GMT

Many people lament the purchase of auto insurance. So we’re here to make it less painful. Check out these six money-saving tips and take the sting out of buying insurance.

#1 Raise your deductible. It’s a gamble, sure. You’ll be responsible for a larger amount of the bill should you get into an accident. However, this is a guaranteed way to lower your annual insurance costs.

#2 Shop around. Staying with the same insurance company year after year may not be in your best interest. You can cancel or change your policy at any time—you don’t need to wait for the policy to expire. So shop your insurance every six months and compare prices to ensure you are getting the best deal.

#3 Remove unneeded extras. Although knowing you have towing and rental car coverage may help you sleep at night, those add-ons are rarely used and not necessarily worth the cost. You pay between $10 and $30 a year over the life of your policy to cover towing. And in the unlikely situation that you need a tow, you’ll pay about $100. Likewise, a small economy car costs $20-$25 a day to rent and car rental tacks on another $20-$40 to your insurance bill each year. So you can sleep well knowing that you saved yourself some money.

#4 Protect your credit. More insurers have begun using credit-based insurance scores to determine what you pay for your policy. So paying the water bill on time will actually keep your insurance costs down.

#5 Research discounts. Cars with safety and anti-theft devices cost less to insure. You can also knock off a few bucks if you insure your car and home with the same company. People who abstain from alcohol, get good grades in school or take a driver education course are also rewarded with lower premiums.

#6 Get informed. The easiest way to save on any insurance is to research before you buy. And get recommendations from family and friends.

And now for the shameless plug: shope here to find quotes and matched with agents from your area!

Car Rental Companies and DUI: What you need to Know.

Tom RC — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:30:00 GMT

If you have a DUI or poor Driving Record, renting a car may be next to impossible.
Ask if the rental car company checks the driving records of potential customers before you get to your destination to pick up your vehicle.
Many companies now check driving records when customers arrive at the counter. Some reject customers whose driving records don't meet company standards. Even if you have a confirmed reservation, you may be disqualified from renting a car for moving violations within the last few years.

Rental Car Screening Standards
Generally, a rental car company that screens drivers may deny you a rental if during the past 36-months period, YOU...

Were caught driving with a suspended or invalid drivers license.
Had one instance of DUI, Hit and Run, driving a stolen car or other serious offense.
Had three moving violations, or
Were at fault in two accidents.

The standards adopted by each rental car company vary and are subject to change, so you need to inquire about the specific rental screening standards of any company you are considering using. Instead of screening you, some rental car companies may require you to sign a statement that you have an acceptable driving record. This shifts the responsibility for providing accurate information away from the company and to you. If you have an accident and signed a statement that turns out to be incorrect, the rental car company could use it against you by claiming that you acted in violation of the rental agreement.

End Of Summer Update - over 1800 arrested for DUI

Tom RC — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:14:00 GMT

Michigan's recent "You Drink & Drive — You Lose" campaign resulted in police arresting more than 1,800 motorists for drunk driving.

During the campaign — which lasted from Aug. 18 to Sept. 4 — officers from more than 500 police agencies across the state focused on drunk driving enforcement. Besides the 1,826 motorists arrested for drunken driving, another 1,613 were arrested for other alcohol-related offenses, according to information from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

The numbers are rather similar to a similar campaign in August 2005. Then, police arrested 1,844 people for drunk driving and cited another 1,387 for other alcohol-related offenses.

For a breakdown by county click here.

National Motorist Association on DWI/DUI

Tom RC — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:54:00 GMT

The goal National Motorists Association (NMA) is to advocate, represent, and protect the interests of North American motorists.

The National Motorists Association policy position on DWI/DUI is detailed on its web site (www.motorists.org) and is presented here:

“The NMA supports drinking and driving regulations based on reasonable standards that differentiate between responsible, reasonable behavior and reckless, dangerous behavior. The NMA does not support "zero tolerance" concepts, nor does it endorse unconstitutional enforcement and judicial procedures that violate motorists' rights.

Basic Tenets

We believe that penalties for DUI/DWI should be related to the degree of risk involved, and that these penalties be equated with penalties for equal-risk violations of other traffic safety laws.

We support those legislative and enforcement initiatives that are effective in achieving stated goals of deterrence and removal of impaired drivers. We do not support initiatives based on revenge, political expedience, or emotional hyperbole.

We believe that all Americans should enjoy the same Constitutional rights and privileges. Legislative or enforcement initiatives denying these rights and privileges to motorists violate this uniform application of Constitutional standards.

We believe in basing laws and penalties on actual evidence of impairment whenever possible. Blood alcohol content should only be used as prima facie evidence of impairment, and there should be flexibility in laws that base penalties on blood alcohol content.

Specific Positions

We oppose drunk-driving roadblocks on the grounds that they violate protection from warrantless search and seizure, and fail to meet probable cause standards. They have not been shown to be effective at deterring impaired driving.

DWI penalties based on blood alcohol counts should be graduated to reflect the potential severity of impairment. The more severe penalties should be phased in at a BAC of .15 where impairment begins to directly correlate with accident involvement. Lower penalties should be adopted for less severe DWI violations.

We support increased penalties for repeat offenders, but maintain that rehabilitation be the primary goal in all but the most severe cases.

Any mandated BAC test must be based on clear reasonable suspicion of impairment, not an unrelated traffic violation.

Breathalyzer tests should be used for screening purposes only. They should have no standing as actual evidence of Blood Alcohol Content. However, we support that the driver always have the right to a blood test and be notified of that right should he wish to dispute the results of the breath test.

We are concerned with deterring impaired driving, not with regulating how a driver might become impaired. A driver is equally responsible regardless of where the drinking takes place be it at home, in a vehicle, or at a commercial establishment.

A "technically" impaired driver should not automatically be more heavily penalized if they are involved in an accident. The penalties should be based on the severity of the accident and the extent to which the impaired driver was at fault.

We oppose so-called "Administrative License Suspensions" since they are not an effective deterrent and violate the right to due process.

We support the detainment of any driver arrested on an impaired driving charge until sufficient time has passed to allow the individual to safely drive, or for other transportation arrangements to be made.

We support the right to a jury trial for all accused traffic violators, particularly defendants accused of severe offenses for which long license suspension or jail time could be imposed.

We oppose measures that revoke or withhold a driver's license that do not directly relate to driving. As related to drinking laws, we are opposed to license suspension for non-driving related violations.

We do not support age-based BAC standards (e.g., "zero tolerance") for persons under 21 years of age.” (http://www.motorists.org/issues/dwi/index.html)

More Stats: Licensed Drivers State by State

Tom RC — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:31:00 GMT

Here are more stats on the number of licensed drivers in the United States...follow the link:
http://www.statemaster.com/graph/trn_lic_dri_tot_num-transportation-licensed-drivers-total-number

You are Warned...Increased Patrols Through Labor Day

Tom RC — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:39:00 GMT

Extra police officers will be on patrol for drunk drivers through Sept. 4 as part of a massive effort to stop drunken drivers dubbed "You Drink & Drive. You Lose."

The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning has provided funding for boosted patrols. More than 500 agencies in Michigan have signed up for the efforts, according to a press release.

"While alcohol-related fatalities have been declining statewide over the past few years, drunk driving has not gone away in Michigan," said Michael Prince, OHSP division director.

To that end, an additional $635,000 has been allocated to Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Genesee and Kent counties for drunk-driving patrols. Those counties were home to 40 percent of the states alcohol-related fatalities. Patrols will pay special attention during the so-called happy hours, which happens in the early evening after work.

'HEIDI'S LAW' TAKES EFFECT

Tom RC — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 23:26:00 GMT

Source: www.LSJ.com

By Lisa Roose-Church
Daily Press & Argus

A change in Michigan's drunken driving law could see more repeat offenders spending time in prison. Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation effective Jan. 3 that eliminates the current 10-year statute of limitations between first and third, or subsequent, felony drunken driving offenses.

Under the prior law, a third offense of drunken driving would be considered a felony only if it occurred within a prior 10-year time period. However, with the revision, a driver arrested for drunken driving with two prior offenses — regardless of how old the prior convictions are — will face felony charges.

Livingston County Prosecutor David Morse wholeheartedly supports the change — known as Heidi's Law — while a defense attorney who specializes in drunken driving cases says the change will produce between 6,000 and 10,000 additional drunken driving felony cases per year and simply add to Michigan's already overcrowded jails and prisons.

"I think it's fair because a number of other crimes rely on prior convictions and none have time restrictions," Morse said.

Morse said his office encounters a case at least every month that should have been charged as a felony drunken driving, but could not because of the old law.

As an example, Morse said his office recently charged Alan Robert Hogan with third-offense drunken driving. However, under the old law, Hogan, 43, of Tyrone Township — who has alcohol-related convictions, including a felony, in 1982, 1985, 1989 and 2005 — would have only been charged with second-offense drunken driving, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the Livingston County Jail.

Birmingham lawyer Patrick T. Barone, who co-authored the book "The DUI Book: A Offenders Handbook to Fighting a Drunk Driving Case," estimates the new law will produce between 6,000 and 10,000 additional drunken driving felony cases per year.

"I doubt the governor took this cost to the taxpayer into consideration when deciding to sign this new law," Barone said in a press release.

"If the purpose of the new law is to create more felons in our state and to cause further over-crowding in our prisons, then the law will have its intended effect," he added.

Howell-area defense attorney Lyle Dickson, who is an adviser to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the drunken driving law, agreed, saying the change in the law will not have an effect on the hard-core drunken driver.

"I don't think this is the perfect answer," he said.

Dickson, who has worked as a police officer and prosecutor, said instead he believes counties statewide need more probation officers to oversee "intensive drug and alcohol screening" as well as counseling.

"It's a tough situation. Obviously no one has come up with a right decision yet," he said. "The Legislature keeps changing drunk driving law, and people keep reoffending, so there is no silver bullet. A lot has to deal with the person's willingness to recognize he has an issue and seek treatment."

Alcohol Absorption, Distribution & Elimination

Tom RC — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:37:00 GMT

Source: www.forcon.ca

Alcohol absorption, distribution and elimination are simultaneous processes that commence upon consumption.

Absorption is the passage of alcohol into the blood. Distribution is the temporary placement of alcohol into various body tissues. Elimination is the removal of alcohol from the body. Diffusion is the method of passage of alcohol through cell membranes and is governed by concentration differences on either side of the cell wall.

Use the Blood Alcohol Calculator to estimate your blood alcohol level at a given time.

Blood alcohol concentration

A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or blood alcohol level (BAL) reflects the amount of alcohol in the body. Food, type and quantity of beverage, weight, sex, and rate of elimination determine the BAC after the consumption of alcohol. The BAC is a measure of the difference between the rates of absorption and elimination. The change in BAC with time may be described graphically as a "blood alcohol curve," where the absorption phase is represented by a rising line and the elimination phase by a falling line.

Alcohol absorption

Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and small intestine by diffusion. Most absorption occurs from the small intestine due to its large surface area and rich blood supply. The rate of absorption varies with the emptying time of the stomach. Generally, the higher the alcohol concentration of the beverage, the faster the rate of absorption. However, above a certain concentration, the rate of absorption may decrease due to the delayed passage of alcohol from the stomach into the small intestine.

The maximum absorption rate is obtained with the consumption of an alcoholic beverage containing approximately 20-25% (by volume or v/v) alcohol solution on an empty stomach. The absorption rate may be less when alcohol is consumed with food or when a 40% (v/v) alcohol solution is consumed on an empty stomach. The rate may also slow down when high fluid volume/low alcohol content beverages, such as beer, are consumed.

Normal social drinking

For normal social-type drinking, the highest BAC is usually achieved within 30 minutes after completion of consumption, though it could take as long as 60 minutes. When large amounts of alcohol are consumed over a short time interval, or when a large quantity of food is eaten with the alcohol, the absorption phase may not be complete for up to two (2) hours after last consumption.

Two-hour BAC plateau

In other situations, a subject may develop a plateau, where the blood alcohol level does not change for up to two hours. When this occurs the rate of absorption is equal to the rate of elimination and hence the blood alcohol concentration does not change. After two hours, the rate of elimination will exceed the rate of absorption and the blood alcohol level will begin to decrease.

Once in the blood, alcohol is carried throughout the body. The alcohol diffuses into tissues and fluids according to their water content. During the absorption phase, the BAC of arterial blood is greater than the BAC of venous blood. Arteries carry blood to a tissue, and veins remove blood from the tissue. At equilibrium, where the tissue has absorbed a proportionate quantity of alcohol, the BAC of arterial blood is equal to the BAC of venous blood.

Weight and sex affect BAC

A person's weight and sex determine the total volume of body water and consequently the BAC obtained upon consumption of a particular quantity of alcohol. Generally, the more a person weighs, the larger the volume of body water and the lower the BAC obtained from the consumption of a given amount of alcohol.

A female may have more fat tissue than a male of the same weight and therefore a smaller volume of body water. As a result, a female may obtain a slightly higher BAC upon consumption of the same quantity of alcohol as a male, all other factors being equal.

As the BAC decreases, alcohol diffuses from the tissues back into the blood.

Elimination of alcohol

Alcohol is eliminated from the body by excretion and metabolism. Most alcohol is metabolized, or burned, in a manner similar to food, yielding carbon dioxide and water. A small portion of alcohol is excreted, such as through the breath, leaving the body as alcohol, unchanged. It is this latter process that allows for breath alcohol testing.

Average rate of elimination

Elimination occurs at a constant rate for a given individual.The median rate of decrease in BAC is considered to be 15 milligrams per cent (mg%) per hour. The range of decrease in BAC is 10-20 mg% per hour. This range represents the extreme ends of the rate encountered in a normal population. Most people eliminate at a rate of between 13 and 18 mg% per hour. Of these, the majority eliminates at the higher end. Very few people eliminate at as low a rate as 10 mg% per hour.

DUI: The $10,000 Ride Home

Tom RC — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 16:27:00 GMT

Source: MSN Money-

A fine is just the start of what you'll pay for a drunken-driving conviction. Insurance-rate increases, legal bills, alcohol treatment and licensing fees can push the cost into five figures

By Christopher Solomon

If you need any more reasons not to drink and drive, consider this: A driving-under-the-influence conviction is a financial wrecking ball. A typical DUI costs about $10,000 by the time you pay bail, fines, fees and insurance, even if you didn't hit anything or hurt anybody.

The penalties are intended to be discouraging. Alcohol played a role in nearly 40% of U.S. automobile fatalities in 2005. That's 16,885 deaths, a figure nearly unchanged over the past decade, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But states are cracking down. The last of the 50 states have lowered their thresholds for DUI to 0.08% blood-alcohol content. Police arrested 1.37 million people last year for driving under alcohol's grip, about one in every 140 licensed drivers, the FBI says. But forget the humiliation and hassle for now. Forget the toll on lives. Just look at what a DUI does to your wallet:
Read the rest of the article: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourCar/DUIThe$10000RideHome.aspx

Michigan DUI Statistics

Tom RC — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 15:31:00 GMT

In Michigan there were 150 people arrested every day last year 2005 for DUI, according to the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center.

Here is a summary of the results of the annual audit: There were 54,056 drunken- and impaired-driving arrests in 2005, a little more than 1,000 fewer than in 2004. Injuries resulting from alcohol and/or drug-related crashes were down 8 percent, from 8,667 in 2004 to 7,892 in 2005. And alcohol or drug-related fatalities were down 2.4 percent, from 418 in 2004 to 408 in 2005.

Of 54,056 people arrested for drunken driving in Michigan in 2005, nearly 80 percent, or 42,000, were men. Despite the spending of tens of millions of federal dollars on law enforcement and advertising, drunken driving remains a serious problem, especially among men ages 21-34, officials said. Of those in that age group involved in fatal car crashes, 33 percent registered a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or more.

So while national drunken-driving fatalities climbed in 2005, the number of Michigan fatalities actually declined 2.4 percent, to 408 from 418 in 2004. Drunken driving arrests in Michigan also declined, from 55,070 in 2004 to 54,056 in 2005.

However, Michigan State Police did a partial-year report on alcohol-related fatalities in both 2005 and 2006. According to the report, by April 30, 2005, the state had 68 alcohol- or drug-related traffic fatalities; at the same point in 2006, there were 99. The percent of all fatal crashes that were alcohol-related edged up from 26.2 percent in 2005 to 33.2 percent in 2006. Fortunately, statistics are still on a downward trend.

There were more than 1.4 million Drunk Driving arrest in the United States in 2004.

In a related development, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the presence of 11-carboxy-THC in the body was sufficient to support a conviction under a law prohibiting driving with any trace of a controlled substance in your system. The Supreme Court accepted as fact that 11-carboxy-THC has no narcotic effects and causes no impairment, and also that 11-carboxy-THC can remain in the body for up to a month after ingestion of marijuana. However, the Supreme Court determined that those facts weren’t relevant to its analysis, since the statute didn’t require impairment. Thus, a person who used marijuana weeks before operating a vehicle and was in no way under the influence—or aware of the presence of 11-carboxy-THC in his system—would be guilty of the same crime as a driver operating a vehicle under the influence of cocaine.

National Effort Targets Drunken Drivers

Tom RC — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:44:00 GMT

NHTSA sponsors mass crackdown

August 17, 2006

BY JUSTIN HYDE

FREE PRESS WASHINGTON BUREAUc

Federal and state traffic safety officials started a nationwide crackdown on drunken driving Wednesday, saying previous efforts had not done enough to reduce deaths from impaired drivers. Drunken drivers accounted for some 13,000 deaths in traffic accidents last year.

The crackdown, however, may face resistance from a growing industry devoted to defending people arrested on drunken driving charges. These groups contend overzealous police forces inflated the problem out of proportion, trampling rights in the process. The new effort, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, involves 11,000 law enforcement agencies. It includes:

· Increased patrols and checkpoints.

· An $11-million television advertising campaign that will replace the previous "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" slogan with "Drunk driving -- over the limit, under arrest."

"Drunk driving is an epidemic and is a scourge of this country," said Jim Champagne, a Louisiana State Police trooper and chairman of the Governors' Highway Safety Association. "The cost to the country in lives, in jobs and in economic value is unbelievable."

The traffic safety administration released new statistics Wednesday showing that deaths in traffic accidents involving drivers whose blood alcohol level was at least 0.08 fell 1.2% in 2005 to 12,945. Michigan's total fell 5% to 312.

NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason said the decision to get tougher with drunken drivers came after a decade of small reductions in fatalities despite arrests that totaled 1.4 million in 2004. "This is really focused on enforcement. This is not a friend asking a friend to not drive drunk," Nason said. The message is "it's illegal to drink and drive, and you're going to go to jail for it."

During the past decade, federal officials and groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers pushed for tougher penalties against drunken drivers. Since 1999, every state has set its definition of drunk at the 0.08 blood alcohol level, and added penalties such as on-the-spot cancellation of driver's licenses and vehicle impoundment for suspects who refuse blood alcohol tests. Champagne contended states could do more, and "stop piddy-padding in judicial systems and letting drunk drivers get off."

While those changes made a small dent in alcohol-related deaths, they spawned a network of companies and attorneys who defend people charged with drunken driving. The National College for DUI Defense has about 500 attorneys as members, and several Internet sites offer long lists of tips about what to do if pulled over for drunken driving.

"It's lawful in every state to drink and drive, but it's unlawful to drink to the point of impairment," said Patrick Barone, a Birmingham attorney who specializes in drunken driving defense. Roadblocks and checkpoints "are an inappropriate use of executive power and police resources."

Barone and other attorneys contend the revenue generated from drunken driving cases in fines make police overly aggressive, arresting drivers who have a smell of alcohol on their breath but no signs of impairment. William Head, an Atlanta attorney who handles roughly 1,000 drunken driving cases a year, says arrest quotas at some police departments sweep up innocent people. "Zero tolerance is a great slogan, but it's not the law in any state in the country," he said.

72% of online consumers use the Web for Auto Insurance Quotes

Tom RC — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:22:00 GMT

Source: Keynote Systems Inc.

June 21, 2006 - San Mateo, Calif.

Keynote's customer experience study shows that consumers are turning away from obtaining auto insurance quotes over the phone and increasingly turning to the Web for those same quotes. This study uncovered that in the highly competitive $158 billion auto insurance industry, price competitiveness and the online quote process are the leading indicators of success in landing new customers online.

The Keynote Customer Experience Rankings for Auto Insurance Web Sites examines the online experience of 1,500 prospective auto insurance customers as they interacted with leading auto insurance sites.

The study measured 250+ metrics for each site including ease of use, satisfaction, brand appeal and customer acquisition impact during April 2006. A companion study, the Keynote WebExcellence Insurance Carrier Scorecard, measured and ranked insurance sites for online excellence according to their use and execution of 240+ industry best practices in online policy sales and servicing. That study was conducted in May 2006 and was based on the collection of nearly 4,000 pieces of competitive data for each of 16 sites included in the study.

Close to three-quarters of online consumers (72%) report they use the Web to obtain quotes when evaluating auto insurance coverage options; a 5% increase since last year's study. By comparison, the number of people reporting they obtain a phone quote decreased by six percentage points, dropping from 55% to 49%.

"We have seen a steady trend upward in the number of consumers using the Web to obtain quotes and a corresponding steady drop in those using the phone for quotes," says Lance Jones, associate director of Internet research for Keynote. "The online channel continues to grow in importance and will be the key driver of sales growth in the auto insurance industry. The companies that provide a strong online customer experience, such as GEICO and Progressive, will ultimately benefit from this trend."

The single most influential driver of a consumer's decision to purchase auto insurance is price, with more than three-quarters of consumers (77%) saying that price is "extremely important" in their decision.

However, with the Web becoming the primary source for obtaining quotes, Web site features and ease of use are gaining in importance. Almost two-thirds of consumers (64%) say that the ease of use of a company's Web site is extremely or very important in their selection of an auto insurance policy--and 74% report that the actual online quote request process is extremely or very important in their selection process.

"Price satisfaction was clearly the leading driver of customer acquisition success. In fact, price was more important in the auto insurance industry than in any of the other dozens of industries we study, including the online travel industry, where price is of paramount importance," says Jones. "Despite this, auto insurance companies need to pay much closer attention to their site effectiveness with consumers. We saw some sites gain a significant advantage over competitors based on their online experience - and we saw some very competitively priced competitors fall flat because of their poor online experience. Price and online experience are the dual engines for driving quote and sales growth in the auto insurance industry."

How to Stop a Friend From Drunk Driving

Tom RC — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 04:08:00 GMT

Source: friendsdrivesober.org

If a friend or someone you know has been drinking while at a party or "out on the town," they shouldn't drive, so please prevent them from doing so. Many people believe that coffee, a cold shower, or fresh air is all that's needed to overcome the effects of alcohol. In truth, time is the only way to get alcohol out of the system. If a friend of yours has been drinking, he or she shouldn't drive. There are steps you can take to keep a friend alive.

Be proactive. Talk with your friends before they go out. Pick a designated driver, arrange for a sober driver to pick you up, or bring enough money for a cab or public transportation.
Politely, but firmly, tell them you cannot let them drive home because you care. The first time you do this will be the toughest, but your actions could save your friend's life or that of an innocent victim. 1
Drive your friend home. You're having a party and one of your friends has had too much to drink and should not drive. To be sure your friend arrives home safely, you can drive him or her yourself, if you haven't also been drinking. 2
Call a cab. If you can't drive your friend home, you can call a cab. You may want to pay the fare in advance. That's one way to show you really care. 2
Have your friend sleep over. Asking a guest to sleep over is another good way to keep a friend from driving. You won't have to drive and your friend won't have to return the next day for the car. 2
Take the keys away. Here are some hints on how to get the keys from a drunken person before he or she can drive: 3
Be calm. Joke about it. Make light of it.
Make it clear that you're doing him a favor by taking their keys.
Find the keys while he is distracted and take them away. They'll probably think they've lost them and will be forced to let someone else drive.
If it is a close friend, be soft and calm. Speak to him or her privately and suggest that they let someone else drive, or take a cab or a bus.
If it is a good friend, spouse, or loved one, refuse to get in the car with them. Tell him or her you will ride with someone else, take public transportation, or walk.
If you don't know the person well, speak to their friends and ask them to help get the keys.
If possible, do not embarrass the person or be confrontational.
Whatever you do, don't give in. 4 About one-third (32%) of persons of driving age have been with a friend who may have had too much to drink to drive safely, including half of those under age 30. Most of these (80%) tried to stop the friend from driving and were successful in preventing the impaired person from driving about 75% of the time. Friends don't let friends drink and then drive. In the morning, you'll have a safer, and maybe an even closer, friend. 5References:

Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Prevent a Friend from Driving Drunk. Retrieved on January 20, 2004 from http://www.maddpikespeak.org/prevent.html
Minnesota Safety Council. December is Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month: What can you do. Retrieved on January 20, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.mnsafetycouncil.org/nets/Winter01.pdf
How Do You Stop Someone From Driving Drunk. Retrieved on January 20, 2004 from http://www.nchpdp.med.va.gov/NationalHealthObservances/2003December/%20HowDoYouStopSomeoneFromDrivingDrunk.doc
Public Broadcasting System. Just One Night. Retrieved on January 20, 2004 from http://www.pbs.org/justone/justo3.htm
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behaviors, 2001. Retrieved on January 20, 2004 from http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/alcohol/traffic-tech2003/TT280.pdf

Pot Smokers Now Face DUI Charges Under Michigan Law

Tom RC — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 04:20:00 GMT

Source: http://www.drugpolicy.org/

Under a decision by a divided Michigan Supreme Court in June, you can be convicted of drugged driving, even if you are not in the least impaired by drugs. In a pair of cases, Derror v. Michigan and Kurts v. Michigan, the Court upheld the constitutionality of Michigan’s zero tolerance per se policy, which allows prosecution for driving under the influence of drugs if a person tests positive for any trace amount of a Schedule I drug or its non-psychoactive metabolite.

The ruling reverses a Michigan Appellate Court ruling which said that in order to move forward with a DUID prosecution, the state had to demonstrate that the presence of a controlled substance in a driver's body was the proximate cause of an accident.

The Michigan policy has a series of impractical and even harmful consequences. It is useful to compare the zero-tolerance law to the state's alcohol laws, which permit drivers to have a blood alcohol content of up to .08. This level is equivalent to about 1-2 drinks per hour for an average size person. Such a person can legally drive, but who smoked a joint three days earlier cannot. In other words, any casual drug user who responsibly refrains from operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (typically a matter of hours) must now wait days, weeks, or, in the case of marijuana, even months before operating a motor vehicle in Michigan. If Michigan’s policy were adopted nationwide, the licenses of over 25 million Americans could be revoked or suspended--with absolutely no discernible benefit to public safety.

What is more, Michigan’s zero tolerance law effectively overrides the laws of at least 11 other states-–representing nearly one-third of the U.S. population--which have ratified the medical use of marijuana.

In a scathing dissent, Justice Michael Cavanaugh of the Michigan Supreme Court observed that the decision "now makes criminals out of numerous Michigan citizens who, before today, were considered law-abiding, productive members of our community."

In short, Michigan’s law bears no rational relationship to concerns for public safety – or any other governmental interest. At the same time, it is likely to wreak havoc on the lives of thousands of otherwise law-abiding, safety-conscious individuals. As a result, the Court’s ruling is destined to end up on the trash heap of stupid and harmful legal decisions. The only question is when.

DUI crashes falling, or are they?

Tom RC — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 03:59:00 GMT

Source: mlive.com

We intended to take this opportunity to acknowledge some progress in the ongoing war against drinking and driving. And we do just that -- but with a dangerous countertrend so far in 2006.

Last week we noticed a report put out by the Michigan State Police and Office of Highway Safety Planning. Called the 2005 Drunk Driving Audit, the report proclaimed that "Michigan's drunk-driving arrests, convictions and crashes, as well as fatalities and injuries involving alcohol and/or drugs, have decreased for the fourth consecutive year," according to the press release.

That would seem to justify some satisfaction -- in the sense that a prolonged downward trend suggests something good is being done. And there are a couple of good reasons the statistics should be going down.

One was the repeat-offender law that took effect in October of 1999. It imposed tougher penalties on repeat offenders: License-plate confiscation, mandatory immobilization of vehicles, forfeiture of vehicles.

Another change was that in 2003 the legal definition of drunken driving was lowered to 0.08 percent blood alcohol content. In effect, it is "easier" to violate the law now than it was.

Thus, the combined effect of those changes should make people think twice -- and more -- before they drink and get behind the wheel. Add to that the ongoing campaigns of various police agencies to patrol the roads for drunken drivers.

With those statutory and enforcement strategies, the statistics should be heading down.

One thing gives us pause, though. The Michigan State Police did a partial-year report on alcohol-related fatalities in both 2005 and 2006. According to the report, by April 30, 2005, the state had 68 alcohol- or drug-related traffic fatalities; at the same point in 2006, there were 99. The percent of all fatal crashes that were alcohol-related edged up from 26.2 percent in 2005 to 33.2 percent in 2006. Fortunately, statistics are still on a downward trend: In all of last year, the county had seven alcohol- or drug-related fatalities; this year, there have been two.

What do such statistics suggest? Clearly, public policy -- the laws we enact, the enforcement measures we take -- have an impact over the long haul. However, that doesn't mean that our state, county or local law-enforcement agencies can afford to relax their vigilance.

Drunken drivers are a potentially lethal menace on the roads. Because of that, there needs to be consistent, fair and even-handed enforcement of the law.

Michigan Auto Insurance choices after a DUI conviction.

Tom RC — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 04:25:00 GMT

By Thomas A. Arce.

Based on my experience as a licensed Independent Insurance Agent here in Michigan, approximately 20 percent of drivers with a DUI will actually see their rates stay the same or go down after their DUI conviction. Thats right, I said rates can come down! The number one reason for this is many people are over paying for auto insurance and don’t even realize it. Many people are unaware that they have choices. They have not shopped around for auto insurance in years and are paying way more than they should be.

There are 2 types of insurance companies that write auto insurance in Michigan: Standard insurance companies and Non-standard insurance companies.

Standard companies tend to be the most advertised and most recognized. State Farm, Allstate, AAA, Farmers, and Nationwide are some to name a few. These standard companies treat DUI convictions the harshest. In fact, standard companies will use your DUI against you for 5 years. Some standard companies begin this 5-year period on your conviction date not the ticket date. Your policy will be surcharged 6 to 8 insurance points or a 100% surcharge will be added. This in most cases will cause your policy to be cancelled or too expensive to afford.

Michigan also has Non-Standard insurance companies also called High-Risk auto insurance companies. These companies will write auto insurance for any Michigan driver, regardless of points, as long as that driver has a valid driver license that is not suspended or revoked, restricted is OK. Alcohol convictions are used against you for only 3 years with just a 2-point surcharge. Plus, the 3 year clock begins the day you’re ticketed not your conviction date. This provides valuable time to pass, thereby reducing the overall cost you’re actually surcharged by your insurance company. For some people that time can be reduced from 3 years down to 18 months or less.

In order to avoid overpaying for auto insurance you need to shop as many non-standard or high-risk insurance companies available. These companies are available mainly through two sources 1.) Independent Agents. 2.) Direct Insurance Companies via the Internet or 800#’s.

Independent Agents: You want to find an independent agent representing as many non-standard or high-risk auto insurance companies as possible. A good independent agent with 5 or more high risk companies will provide you the best price, coverage and service options available to you. Remember, non-standard companies only use your DUI against you for 3 years with a 2-point surcharge verses standard companies that surcharge 6-8 points for 5 years. For this reason alone many people are finding affordable auto insurance rates with nonstandard insurance companies after a DUI conviction.

Examples of Michigan insurance companies offering favorable high-risk auto insurance to drivers with a DUI conviction are Progressive, GMAC, Titan, Bristol West, and Citizens Auto Connections. Get Free Auto Insurance Quotes from these Top Rated Insurance companies by Thomas A. Arce, a Licensed Michigan Independent Insurance Agent.

Direct Insurance Companies: Buying insurance direct requires you to call an 800# or go online. Shopping online is a great way to locate and compare non-standard insurance carriers in your state. However, some high-risk insurance companies are only available thought Independent Agents. It’s best to seek the help of an experienced Independent Insurance agent PLUS check rates on the Internet. But be careful! The most common mistake when buying insurance without an agent is not choosing your coverage’s properly or failing to disclose a ticket or accident. These omissions can greatly affect the final price of your auto insurance quote. Choosing the wrong coverage or leaving coverage omitted can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Also if you do choose to buy auto insurance direct on the Internet in most cases you forgo access to your own agent. You lose the availability to obtain helpful advice and insight in the event of a claim or problem with your policy. You’re left calling the 800# for advice, which can lead to them using that confidential information against you thereby affecting your policy premium or claim payout. Again, it’s best to seek the help of an experienced Independent Insurance Agent PLUS check rates on the Internet.

Click here to Shop the Internet’s Top Michigan Auto Insurance Companies.