Titusville DUI Lawyer

Drinking and driving is a significant concern for law enforcement and everyday commuters alike. The reason behind the heightened focus on this specific aspect of driving is its potentially fatal nature. Between 2003 and 2012, 8,476 people died in auto accidents involving a drunk driver in Florida alone. Although a vast majority of the accidents involved drivers of the legal drinking age, a number of them included underage drinkers.

To crackdown on underage drinking and driving, Florida legislators implemented the Zero Tolerance policy which sets the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.02% for drivers under 21. This essentially disallows all individuals under the age of 21 from consuming any amount of alcohol and driving; but with the majority of drivers being above the legal age, there is still room to assert a defense. A Titusville DUI lawyer can evaluate your case and make you aware of your legal options.

Dangers of Drunk Driving

The overconsumption of alcohol is generally detrimental to your health, but the impact it has on your driving ability is non-dismissible. When someone chooses to drive drunk, the following functions are impaired:

• Reaction Time: The presence of alcohol in the body can slow down reflexes, which negatively affects a driver’s ability to rapidly adjust to changing conditions.
• Vision: Alcohol can alter perception, eye movement, and slow eye muscle functions, possibly impairing night vision and color perception.
• Tracking: Alcohol can impair one’s ability to judge the positioning of other vehicles on the road, road signs, lane markings, and the position of their vehicle.
• Concentration: One may become drowsy and lose focus of the road while under the influence of alcohol.
• Coordination: Reduced coordination of the hands, feet, and eyes often occurs as a result of alcohol overconsumption.
• Comprehension: Alcohol can hinder your ability to make rational decisions.

What is a DUI in Florida?

Law enforcement officials in Florida use the Intoxilyzer 8000 to measure the BAC of drivers. The number that the device records is meant to serve as a representation of the amount of blood alcohol content in the body. Drivers whose breaths contains more alcohol than the following limits can be legally arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol:

• 0.08% for those 21 or older
• 0.04% for those 21 or older who operate commercial vehicles
• 0.02% for those under 21 years old

Although breath test results can be used to incriminate an individual, they are not as accurate as blood samples and can provide faulty readings. A Titusville DUI lawyer can investigate the accuracy of your breath test results and have it eliminated as evidence if they discover any inconsistencies.

William Umansky with The Umansky Law Firm has been practicing law in the Central Florida area for over 25 years and is an active member of the National College of DUI Defense and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He can ensure that the right lawyer is assigned to your case to help you seek resolution to your legal issues. Contact us today at 407-228-3838 for a free consultation.