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Browsing Post with the Tag: dwi

2024 St. Patrick’s Day – Booze It & Lose It Campaign

Friday, March 15th, 2024

St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday known for its vibrant green festivities, cheerful parades, and jovial gatherings, is celebrated by millions around the world every year. However, amidst the revelry and merrymaking, there’s a darker side that often gets overshadowed: the dangers of drunk driving. As we gear up to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, it is crucial to remember the importance of responsible drinking and the serious consequences of getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

St. Patrick’s Day commemorates the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.  What began as a religious feast day has evolved into a global celebration of Irish culture, marked by parades, traditional music, dancing, and, of course, the wearing of green attire. It is a day when people of all backgrounds come together to celebrate Irish heritage and enjoy the festivities.

Unfortunately, St. Patrick’s Day has also become associated with a rise in alcohol-related incidents, particularly drunk driving accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol-related fatalities tend to spike around this holiday. In 2019, for example, 51% of all traffic fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day involved drunk drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08% or higher.

The consequences of drunk driving can be devastating, both for the driver and for others on the road. Not only does it put the driver at risk of injury or death, but it also endangers the lives of innocent bystanders and other motorists. Moreover, the legal repercussions of drunk driving can be severe, including hefty fines, license suspension, and even jail time. Beyond the legal consequences, the emotional toll of causing harm to oneself or others can be immense and long-lasting.

While it is perfectly fine to enjoy a few drinks and celebrate with friends and family, it is essential to do so responsibly. Here are some tips for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day safely:

If you are going out to celebrate, plan your transportation in advance. Designate a sober driver, use public transportation, or arrange for a ride-sharing service to ensure you get home safely.

Enjoy your drinks in moderation and alternate alcoholic beverages with water or non-alcoholic drinks to stay hydrated.

If you notice someone who has had too much to drink, intervene and help them find a safe way home. Never let a friend or loved one drive drunk.

Do not succumb to peer pressure to drink excessively. Remember that it is okay to say no and stick to your limits.

There are various smartphone apps available that can help you find a sober ride home or track your alcohol consumption throughout the night.

In an effort to deter those who have been drinking from getting behind the wheel, law enforcement officers statewide will be on patrol and set up DWI checkpoints – the Booze-it-and-Lose-it campaign for the St. Patrick’s Day holiday began on Monday, Mar. 11, 2024, and will run through Sunday, March 17, 2024.

However, should you or someone you know receive a traffic ticket, get into a fender bender, serious accident, or receive a DUI/DWI, call us at 910-793-9000 for a confidential consultation.

Stay safe, Wilmington!

2023 Halloween “Booze It & Lose It” Campaign

Tuesday, October 24th, 2023

Each year, the holiday season begins with the celebration of Halloween.  Celebrations of Halloween include parties or trick-or-treat events. 

During last year’s Halloween Booze It & Lose It Campaign, a total of 696 drivers were charged with driving while impaired (DWI) in North Carolina.

This year alone, 353 people have been fatally injured in alcohol-related crashes in North Carolina.

This year’s Halloween Booze It & Lose It Campaign began on Monday, October 23, 2023, and it will run through Halloween, October 31, 2023.

Law enforcement agencies statewide will be increasing their presence and be on the lookout for impaired drivers.

With more people being out and about by foot who are likely excited, or distracted by decorations, or whose vision is compromised by masks or makeup, and people getting behind the wheel after a couple of drinks, the risks of accidents resulting in serious personal injuries or even death is especially high during Halloween. 

Please celebrate wisely, and if you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, utilized designated drivers, call a cab, or Uber, or Lyft – be safe yourself and keep others safe, and do not let a joyous time turn tragic due to a poor choice. 

However, if you or someone you know receive a traffic ticket or any other criminal charge in New Hanover, Pender, or Brunswick Counties, or if you or someone you know get seriously injured in an accident at which they were not at fault, call Collins Law Firm at 910-793-9000 for a confidential consultation about what we can do to help you.

By Jana H. Collins

Brunswick County Sheriff’s Booze it & Loose It

Monday, May 22nd, 2023

Over the weekend, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office participated in a multi-agency Booze It and Loose it campaign through the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. The campaign resulted in total of 524 incidents reported:

  • 29 DWI’s
  • 92 speeding citations
  • 35 restraint citations
  • 53 no operator’s license
  • 33 driving while license revoked
  • 20 no insurance
  • 65 registration violation citations
  • 7 careless and reckless driving
  • 102 other traffic citations
  • 74 warnings
  • 9 drug charges
  • 5 criminal charges

Should you or someone you know receive a traffic ticket or any other criminal charge in New Hanover (Wilmington), Pender (Burgaw), or Brunswick (Bolivia) Counties, call Collins Law Firm at 910-793-9000 for a confidential consultation about what we can do to help you.

By Bryanna Gordon, Legal Assistant

Ways to Lose Driving Privilege

Wednesday, April 26th, 2023

Under North Carolina law, what are the ways you can lose your driving privilege?

Under North Carolina law, there are several ways that a person can lose their driving privilege. Here are some of the most common:

1.         Conviction of certain traffic offenses, including driving while impaired (DWI), reckless driving, hit and run, and speeding over 75 mph.

2.         Accumulation of too many driver’s license points within a specific period of time. Points are assigned for various traffic violations, and when a driver accumulates a certain number of points within a three-year period, their license may be suspended.

3.         Failure to appear in court or pay fines for traffic violations.

4.         Failure to maintain proper liability insurance coverage for your vehicle.

5.         Medical conditions or disabilities that make it unsafe to drive.

6.         Habitual drug or alcohol use that makes it unsafe to drive.

7.         Non-driving-related offenses, such as failure to pay child support or certain criminal convictions, can also result in a license suspension.

It’s important to note that the length of a license suspension can vary depending on the offense and whether it’s a first-time offense or a repeat offense.

Should you or someone you know receive a traffic ticket or any other criminal charge in New Hanover (Wilmington), Pender (Burgaw), or Brunswick (Bolivia) Counties, or face a suspension of your driver license, call Collins Law Firm at 910-793-9000 for a confidential consultation about what we can do to help you.

By Bryanna Gordon

2023 St. Patrick’s Day – Booze It & Lose It Campaign

Wednesday, March 15th, 2023

2023 St. Patrick’s Day – Booze I & Lose It Campaign

On Saint Patrick’s Day, we are celebrating the beginning of Christianity in Ireland.

The holiday is named after Saint Patrick (AD 385–461), who is the most recognized patron saint of Ireland.

St. Patrick’s Day festivities involve parades and the wearing of green attire and shamrocks.  Also, on St. Patrick’s Day, the eating meat and drinking alcohol are permitted despite the prohibitions of the Lenten season.  Unfortunately, too many decide to drive after consuming alcoholic beverages.  Last year, about 225 motorists were injured due to impaired driving around St. Patrick’s Day, including 11 fatalities.

In an effort to deter those who have been drinking before getting behind the wheel, law enforcement officers statewide will be on patrol and set up DWI checkpoints.

If you find yourself questioning whether you had too many stouts, lagers, cream ales, ales, etc, do not risk getting arrested or worse, endangering your life or the lives of others. Play it safe and call a cab, UBER, or LYFT, or have a sober friend take you home.

However, should you or someone you know receive a traffic ticket, get into a fender bender, serious accident, or receive a DUI/DWI, call us at (910) 793-9000 for a confidential consultation.

Stay safe, Wilmington!

By Jana H. Collins, Office Manager

Booze It & Lose It Campaign – 2022 Holiday Season

Tuesday, December 13th, 2022

Mark Ezzell, the director of the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program, stated “If you plan on going out and celebrating the holiday season, make sure you plan ahead to have a sober driver take you home. If you drive impaired, you have a lot to lose. Not only could you kill yourself or someone else, you could be facing thousands of dollars in court costs and fines, jail time, and a revoked driver’s license.”

From December 12th, 2022, to January 1st, 2023, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol is running their “Booze It & Lose It” holiday campaign. The campaign will consist of increased patrols and checkpoints in an effort to apprehend impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.

The 2021 “Booze It & Lose It” campaign data from the North Carolina Department of Transportation reflects that New Hanover County had a total of 25 checkpoints and patrols and 46 total DWI arrests, Pender County had a total of 51 checkpoints and patrols and 14 total DWI arrests, and Brunswick County had a total of 18 checkpoints and patrols and 37 total DWI arrests.

As of December 2022, there has been a total of 432 alcohol or drug-related accidents resulting in deaths. The ”Booze It & Lose It” campaign targets impaired drivers in an effort to prevent that total from increasing before the beginning of the new year.

The NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program recommends travelers stay safe on the roads this holiday season by following a few simple tips:

  • Do not drive impaired and plan ahead by obtaining a sober driver
  • Wear your seatbelt when riding in any seat in the vehicle
  • Follow the speed limit

Should you or someone you know receive criminal charges resulting from driving while impaired or any traffic law violation in New Hanover, Pender, or Brunswick Counties, call Collins Law Firm at 910-793-9000 for a confidential consultation about what we can do to help you.

By Cheyenne M. Hensley, Legal Assistant

Halloween 2022 – Booze It & Lose It

Wednesday, October 26th, 2022

With the celebration of Halloween, the holiday season begins.  According to the Highway Safety Program, Halloween is among the most dangerous times a year for traffic accidents.  Halloween parties and trick-or-treat events invite individuals to come out, and the chances for drunk driving and pedestrian accidents increase. 

With the statewide Booze It & Lose It campaign which began on October 24, 2022, and will last through October 31, 2022, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program is aiming to discourage drivers from operating a car after consuming alcohol.   There will be increased law enforcement patrolling our roads, and sobriety checkpoints will be set up.

It is very dangerous to drive distracted or impaired.  But especially on Halloween with excited kids darting out in the middle of the street or simply crossing without looking, all drivers should be vigilant, keep their eyes on the road and be prepared to stop.

If you plan to go out and enjoy alcoholic beverages, please have a designated driver, use a taxi, Uber, or Lyft.  Please make sure not to turn a good time into a tragedy for yourself or others.

Also keep in mind, a charge of driving while impaired can be expensive. People charged with DWI can lose their license and may have to pay thousands of dollars in court fees and increased insurance premiums.

Have a good time this weekend and be safe!

By Jana H. Collins

Stoned Behind the Wheel

Thursday, June 2nd, 2022

Driving While Impaired (DWI) is not limited to just alcohol. Research suggests that in instances of driving while impaired due to the use of drugs, specifically marijuana appears to have an increased rate of involvement in motor vehicle accidents. Marijuana has been identified most frequently in the blood of drivers involved in accidents, including those that resulted in fatalities. However, it can be difficult to pinpoint whether marijuana impairment plays a direct role in car accidents because the drug can be detected in bodily fluids for days and sometimes as long as a few weeks, while the symptoms of intoxication typically only last a couple of hours.

Studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggest that during the early months of 2020 and the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, driving patterns and behaviors in the United States changed significantly. Among the drivers who remained on the roads, many engaged in riskier behavior, including failure to wear seatbelts, speeding, and driving while impaired by alcohol or other drugs. Another study on seriously or fatally injured car accident victims mentioned that five participating trauma centers reported almost two-thirds of drivers involved in an accident tested positive for at least one active drug, including alcohol, marijuana, and opioids between mid-March and mid-July of 2020.

Until recently, testing for drug impairment has been somewhat problematic due to limitations regarding drug-detecting technology and the lack of a consumption limit for the purposes of determining impairment. Now, a company by the name of “Gaize” has been in the process of developing a new technological device that can detect drug impairment among drivers in the United States. This new technology is the first roadside test for identifying marijuana impairment in drivers. The device consists of goggles, similar to those used in virtual reality, which detects involuntary micro-movements that transmit information about someone’s impairment or sobriety. Gaize conducts the same testing that is performed during a Standardized Field Sobriety Test and captures irrefutable video evidence of eye movement.

With marijuana use increasing dramatically in the United States, this new technology can decipher between heavy users, who may have a large amount of THC in their system but are sober, and infrequent users, who may have a very small amount of THC in their system but are extremely impaired.

If you choose to use impairing substances, be sure to do so responsibly by planning ahead for a sober driver, prevent your friends from getting behind the wheel if they are impaired.

Cheyenne M. Hensley, Legal Assistant

Fatal Crash Factors: Speeding and DWI

Tuesday, February 8th, 2022

WECT reported on February 3, 2022, that they requested and reviewed recent traffic data from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) due to a “dramatic increase” of traffic-related fatalities in our area. New Hanover County’s District Attorney (DA) Ben David even referenced 35 fatalities that occurred on New Hanover County’s roads alone.  WECT interpreted the DOT data as the highest rise in fatal crashes ever recorded with traffic death numbers in 2021.

State Highway Patrol data show troopers responded to fewer DWI-related crashes in 2021, but speed continues to be a problem.

Wilmington Police Department (WPD) reflected a 48 percent decrease in speeding tickets issued in 2021 than in 2020.  WPD admitted there have been staff shortages since the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and each of the law enforcement agencies have struggled with filling their many vacancies.  However, WPD swore in eleven officers on January 28, 2022.

With respect to being short staffed, DA Ben David said, “They’re doing more with less than any time I’ve been a prosecutor.  One of my real hopes for 2022 is that we really ramp up enforcement, particularly with two things that kill people on the roads: speed and DWI enforcement.” In conclusion, we should expect to see more blue lights in 2022 according to WECT who reported that there will be an increase in enforcement with an emphasis on Speeding and DWI, which are key factors for fatal crashes.

By Michelle K. McDonald, Paralegal

Spring Forward 2021

Friday, March 12th, 2021

It’s that time of year again, folks! Time to push those clocks forward one hour this Sunday, March 14, so we will “lose” an hour of sleep this weekend. The first day of Spring, which is also known as the Vernal Equinox, is Saturday, March 20, 2021.

As we continue to remember and look back on the past year of the pandemic – from quarantining, social distancing, losing loved ones, and lives being turned upside down in every possible way – we can also appreciate the little things that make us smile, including a few days of warmer weather and sunshine.

The increasing number of North Carolinians receiving the COVID vaccine has also seemed to put a glimmer of hope into our hearts that we might – one day soon – be able to gather in a group with friends to enjoy the summer weather.

As the weather continues to warm up and COVID restrictions are becoming slightly more lenient, there is a higher possibility of finding yourself in need of an attorney, because you received a traffic ticket, or face even more serious charges such as driving while impaired (DWI / DUI), underage drinking, possession of drugs and/or drug paraphernalia, possession of open container, etc.  There is also an increased risk of getting injured while traveling by car, or while boating. 

Should you find yourself in need of an attorney for a serious personal injury or wrongful death matter, or should you need representation for a criminal charge, or a traffic ticket, please give our office a call for a confidential consultation.

By Karen M. Thompson, Paralegal