Though Virginia law does not call its harsher DUI-associated punishments “enhanced penalties,” the state does dole out more severe consequences in certain types of cases. If the state charged you with a DUI offense, it is important to understand what factors may lead...
DUI
What it means to have an open container in your car
If a Virginia police officer spots an open container of alcohol in your vehicle, you may be charged with a misdemeanor. This may be true even if you aren't charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Additional penalties may apply if an officer believes that...
What happens to passengers at the scene of a DUI arrest?
When a person is suspected of driving drunk in Virginia, police will pull them over and conduct a DUI investigation. Typically, the driver is then arrested at the scene of the incident and transported to the police station. But what happens if there was another person...
Avoid voluntarily providing probable cause for a DUI arrest
You may be asking yourself what you could do "voluntarily" to give a police officer the evidence he or she needs in order to arrest you for DUI. After all, once the officer stops you, don't you have to do whatever he or she says? Actually, no, you don't have to...
Parental tips for protecting college kids from a DUI
The fall semester at college may already be underway, but it is not too late to have important discussions with your young adult children about college life. One big aspect of these years is partying, where alcohol consumption is often excessive.Regardless of how you...
How different drugs impair your driving
Using drugs can make it unsafe to operate a vehicle, just like driving after consuming alcohol. Drugged driving is a widespread issue. An estimated 44% of motorists in deadly accidents test positive for drugs. In 2017, 12.8 million people drove while under the...
Did you know an IID is mandatory for a first DUI conviction?
The Commonwealth of Virginia is serious about keeping drunk drivers off the road. One of the measures found to be very effective is that of installing an ignition interlock device in a vehicle.State law now requires the use of an IID for any conviction related to...
DUI Accident Lawsuits – Virginia Punitive Damages
Virginia Code Section 8.01-44.5 provides for punitive damages in DUI accident lawsuits when a driver of a vehicle is intoxicated and (1) the driver's blood alcohol content ("BAC") is at or above .15 at the time the driver was operating the vehicle or (2) the driver of...