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July 20, 2010
Drunk-Driving
             
 
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DUI/DWI Terms and Definitions

 
 

Vehicular Homicide
Vehicular homicide is the killing of another person by one’s unlawful or negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)
Horizontal gaze nystagmus is a naturally occurring involuntary jerking of the eyeballs as they gaze side to side. It is theorized that when a person is impaired by alcohol, the nystagmus (the jerking of the eyeballs) is magnified or pronounced.

Legal State Limits
Laws for DWI and DUI vary from state-to-state. There is a chart listing state blood alcohol limits, license suspension, ignition interlock and forfeiture penalties.

Administrative License Revocation (ALR)
Simply put, the DMV automatically revokes your license when you are arrested for DUI as part of its duty to regulate drivers’ licenses. (The court may also take your license, and may also fine or jail you.)

Failed Sobriety Test
A sobriety test is a method of determining whether a person is intoxicated. Among the common sobriety tests are coordination tests and the use of mechanical devices to measure the blood alcohol content of a person’s breath sample.

OUI
OUI is operating or attempting to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants. "Intoxicants" are any substance, including alcohol and both illegal and prescription drugs. A person is "under the influence" if their mental or physical faculties are impaired to the slightest degree, regardless of whether it affects the a actual operation of the vehicle.

Arraignment
Sometimes referred to as a “first appearance.” This date is typically located on the DWI Summons & Complaint near the “court appearance required” box that should be checked off. The arraignment is a formal procedure where rights are read, charges are read and explained, and a plea (guilty or not guilty) is entered.

Ignition Interlock Devices
The courts may require first and repeat DUI offenders to use Ignition Interlock Devices. To start the vehicle, the driver must blow into the device. The vehicle will not start if the driver's blood alcohol content exceeds 0.05%.

Drunk driving penalties
penalties the court could impose are: (1) 6 months in the county jail: (2) $1,000 fine plus up to an additional 1,950 in penalty assessments; (3) 6 months driver's license suspension; (4) Your car impounded for 30 days. Second, third and fourth offenses within 7 years are punished by increasingly more harsh penalties.

Boaters Intoxication
Drinking While Boating Open containers are legal, but operators of boats are subject to boating while intoxicated laws, similar to driving a vehicle. Operators or passengers may also be subject to public intoxication laws


Contact a DUI Lawyer in Iowa now!

 

 
Did You Know?    
 
 
In a DUI arrest, depending on the state, the officer will order you to take either a breath or blood test
If you fail (or refuse to take) a breath test, the arresting officer will take your license, and give you a yellow temporary license (Notice/Sworn Report/Temporary License). If your license was valid, the temporary license will be valid for 30 days from the date of arrest. In a blood test, the officer will send the Notice/Sworn Report / Temporary License to the DMV to issue a temporary license by mail.

 


  Newsroom  
 


News about DUI & Drunk Driving cases in Iowa and nationwide:

ADL Welcomes Mel Gibson's Apology To The Jewish Community
New York, NY, August 1, 2006 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today accepted actor Mel Gibson's apology for anti-Semitic remarks he made during a...
Read more >


AG Lynch Leads Effort To Strengthen RI's Drunk Driving Laws
 Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri signed legislation on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 eliminating a major loophole in the state's drunk driv...
Read more >


Bill Signed To Combat Underage Drinking And Drunk Driving
In his capacity as Acting Governor, Lt. Governor Aiona signed into law, H.B. 2639, H.B. 3242 and S.B. 702 as part of the Lingle-Aiona Administratio...
Read more >


More DUI Drunk Driving News >

 
 

Drunk Driving Terms

 


Today's Terms

Field Sobriety Tests

Definition:
Field Sobriety Tests sometimes referred to by the acronym FSTs, are tests administered by the police to purportedly assess intoxication.

Excessive Drunkenness

Definition:
A state of drunkenness in which a person is so far deprived of reason and understanding that he or she is incapable of understanding the character and consequences of an act.

B.A.C.

Definition:
B.A.C. is an acronym for Blood Alcohol Concentration. The most definitive way to test for B.A.C. is to test blood. The most common testing method is to take samples of breath (most usually in New Jersey with a “Breathalyzer”). The alcohol in the breath is mathematically converted to a blood alcohol reading.

More Iowa.com Terms >

 

DUI/DWI Resources

 


Search Drunk Driving resources in our resource center:

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DUI/DWI Hot Topics

 
Topics Related to DUI/DWI:

  • Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
  • Breathalyzer Test
  • Failed Sobriety Test
  • Legal State BAC Limits

More DUI/DWI Topics >

Iowa Drunk-Driving Attorney

 
If you live in the following cities and need legal help you should contact our Attorney as soon as possible:

  • Ames
  • Ankeny
  • Bettendorf
  • Burlington
  • Cedar Falls
  • Cedar Rapids
  • Clinton
  • Council Bluffs
  • Davenport
  • Des Moines
  • Dubuque
  • Fort Dodge
  • Iowa City
  • Marion
  • Marshalltown
  • Mason City
  • Muscatine
  • Newton
  • Ottumwa
  • Sioux City
  • Urbandale
  • Waterloo
  • West Des Moines
  Need to find a DUI Lawyer Nationwide? Visit DrunkDrivingLawyers.com
 


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