Virginia has no laws that specifically prohibit having open containers of alcohol in your vehicle. Instead, the language of the law reads as follows: “It is unlawful for any person to consume an alcoholic beverage while driving a motor vehicle upon a public highway of...
DUI
Potential reasons a breath test may be invalid
When someone is given a breath test after being arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, they may assume that there's nothing else they can do. They take the test, it shows that they are over the legal limit, and they figure that they have no choice but to accept those...
3 alcohol-related behaviors that increase your DUI risk
Anytime you drive after drinking, there's a possibility that you could get stopped by the police. Being responsible about how much alcohol you consume and how quickly after drinking you get behind the wheel can reduce your chances of getting arrested for driving under...
How do the police know if you are driving while high?
At this time, there exists no established test to determine if a motorist is too high on marijuana to operate a vehicle safely. However, since recreational weed is now allowed in Virginia, more residents than ever face DUI convictions for drugged driving. With the...
What if you drive when you don’t know you’ve been drugged?
One thing to remember is that you can face a charge for driving under the influence if you are impaired by any kind of intoxicating substance, drugs included. However, if you didn’t know that you took a drug that would influence how you would react to your...
What you need to know about Virginia drunk-driving checkpoints
Drunk driving checkpoints can be a serious inconvenience, especially when you’re in a hurry. They’re even more inconvenient when they result in people going to jail who otherwise would never have interacted with the police. When you see one coming up in the road ahead...
Common defenses in DUI cases
Many drunk driving cases in Virginia and around the country are resolved in the same way: Toxicology evidence is used to establish intoxication, and the defendant then pleads guilty in return for charging or sentencing concessions. However, there are situations where...
Talking to your children about the dangers of drunk driving
If you are a parent of a teenager or young adult, you probably know that initiating a discussion about sensitive subjects is not easy. Listening to Mom or Dad and taking their advice is not always what they feel like doing. Sometimes, however, having those talks is...
Problems with DUI charges for chemicals other than alcohol
Most people associate alcohol with a DUI charge in Virginia, but that is not always the case: Individuals who are under prescribed medications or using illegal drugs could be charged with driving under the influence as well. Much of the evidence is typically officer...
What makes the police pull someone over on suspicion of drunk driving?
Police officers who are patrolling the streets watch for signs that a driver is impaired so they can initiate a traffic stop to determine what’s going on. They can’t stop a vehicle for no reason at all. Instead, they need to have reasonable suspicion that the driver...