Following intense debate, back in 2016, the Minnesota legislature unanimously approved a bill that overhauled state drug laws in order to help addicts seek treatment and target “kingpin” dealers. At the heart of the discussion was the fact that lawmakers believed that the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission’s recommendations went too far. Read More...

Everyday there is news about alcohol-related traffic accidents and fatalities. Such tragedies underscore the necessity of strengthening existing laws; however, they also highlight the fact that even stronger laws might not create the desired results as many states continue to suffer from a high number of such accidents. Read More...

Drug possession is a serious crime, especially in Minnesota. Simply having drugs in your control—whether or not they are in your system—is enough to trigger grave and life-changing charges. Read More...

Drugged driving is a growing public safety concern. According to the NHTSA, each year, as many as 16 percent of drivers pulled over during weekend nighttime—and 11 percent during weekend days—hours tested positive for drugs: illicit, over-the-counter, and prescription. Law enforcement officers are increasingly charged with being able to identify impaired drivers. Read More...

When a law enforcement officers witnesses a driver and has reason to suspect that s/he is intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, a DWI investigation commences. Said investigation must adhere to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) protocols including three specific phases through which all DWI investigations proceed. Read More...

The news and literature are rife with data regarding the effects of alcohol intoxication and how they negatively impact one’s ability to drive. It is also well known that the amount of alcohol necessary to cause these effects—one’s tolerance—differs by person. Additional factors behind intoxication include the amount of food in one’s stomach, how quickly the alcohol was consumed, one’s sex, and one’s size. Because of these differences, lawmakers have come up with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measurement to assess whether someone is legally intoxicated. In the U.S., this legal limit is .08 percent of alcohol in one’s bloodstream (although Utah is considering lowering this to .05.) This is referred to as the per se level and is central to many DWI laws across the country. In other words, if an individual is caught driving and has a BAC of at least .08, s/he is considered guilty of DWI regardless of his/her actual impairment, if any. Read More...

Being convicted of a DWI can change several aspects of one’s life dramatically—from serving jail time, losing driving privileges, dealing with increased insurance rates, and potentially losing one’s vehicle, for example. People who are in the country illegally could face even more serious problems including possible deportation. Read More...

It is common knowledge that alcohol and drugs affect driving. I have already posted a piece on how alcohol affects the body, so now let’s explore other types and how they hinder one’s ability to drive safely. Read More...

Nearly everyone has seen those flashing red and blue lights in the rearview mirror and worried if they will be pulled over—for whatever reason. Making matters worse, you may realize that you had a couple of glasses of wine or beer with dinner and worry about whether that amount of alcohol would be enough to warrant a DWI charge. It is natural to panic; however, before working yourself up into a frenzy, pay heed to what you should—and shouldn’t do—if pulled over for suspected DWI. Read More...

Everyone can agree that DWI/DUI is a national problem, accounting for thousands of traffic-related deaths and injuries. In response, many states have strengthened laws related to DUIs, especially for repeat offenders. Read More...