In Wisconsin, like every other state in the country, the legal limit for intoxication is .08 percent. When a person gets behind the wheel and is driving impaired, they put their lives at risk as well as the lives of other individuals in their vehicle, other drivers and innocent pedestrians. Every 50 minutes, approximately one individual loses their life in an alcohol-related automobile accident. As a result, many states have put strict laws in place to deter impaired driving.
Still, according to a 2012 report, more than 4 million adults admitted to getting behind the wheel of their vehicle although they were impaired by alcohol in a one-month time frame. The sobering reality is that every one of these individuals could have caused a fatal accident. While the legal limit for intoxication is .08 percent, some people are impaired after just one drink. Their decision to get behind the wheel and drive drunk can irrevocably change lives.
The White House, in an attempt to raise awareness to the dangers of driving while impaired, released a proclamation naming December 2017 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. The proclamation emphasized that drunk driving is never acceptable. Emphasis was also placed on personal responsibility when deciding whether or not to drive after drinking alcohol. The statement encouraged businesses, communities, educational institutions and families to do their part to minimize alcohol-related accidents.
When a person is accused of drunk driving, the prosecutors have the responsibility to prove that the individual was impaired. They may use field sobriety tests, breath tests and other forms of evidence. A criminal defense attorney may be able to defend their client by putting doubt on the reliability and accuracy of the tests law enforcement officials performed. The attorney might attempt to prove that a speech impediment, difficulties with the language or physical disabilities were the reason for the results of their client’s field sobriety test.
