There have been fewer drunk drivers and drivers intoxicated from drugs driving on the roads according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The study found that tougher DUI laws and stricter enforcement of DUI laws have contributed to the reduction in drunk driving. Back in 1973, 7.5% of drivers surveyed had blood alcohol levels over the current legal limit of at least 0.08 compared to only 2.2% surveyed in 2007, according to an article on News4Jax.com. A government survey also found that 16.3% of nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine. However, a positive drug test does not necessarily prove that the driver is under the influence of drugs at the time since a drug can stay in a person’s system after the effects of the drug have worn off. The study also reached a fairly obvious conclusion that a person is more likely to encounter a drunk driver or a driver intoxicated from drugs late at night or early in the morning.
Here in Jacksonville, Florida, the police are definitely focused on making DUI arrests. As expected, Jacksonville police looking to make DUI arrests are more concentrated in certain areas, such as Jacksonville Beach and the main roads going to and from Jacksonville Beach, and more likely to make DUI stops late at night and on the weekends. Before answering any questions or submitting to any tests after you have been pulled over by a police officer, keep in mind that once a police officer has an inclination that you have been drinking, everything he/she asks and does will be designed to obtain evidence to support the DUI arrest he is about to make. If you have any questions about how to handle a DUI stop or a recent DUI arrest, feel free to contact us for a free consultation.