Summertime is vacation time for us Michiganders! That season when families head for the beach, the barbeque, and in some cases, the border. But if you are planning on travelling into Canada and you happen to have a DUI on your record, slow down. Here are a few things you need to know.
The car crash that resulted in the deaths of five cyclists earlier last month was a tragedy that swept through the media like wildfire. Many people speculated about about what had gone wrong behind the wheel when 50-year-old Charles Pickett Jr. drove his truck off the road and collided with a group of bike riders in Kalamazoo Township, killing five and injuring four.
Ignition Interlock Devices, sometimes called IIDs or BAIID (breath alcohol ignition interlock device), are often viewed as something of a pain in the rear for convicted drunk drivers. The device, which is installed in a person’s car after they have been convicted of certain drunk driving offenses, requires that the driver provide a breath sample before they are able to start the car, and then again at regular intervals while driving. Inconvenient or not, a new Michigan study says that use of ignition interlock devices cuts drunk driving in half in our state.
A bill focused on creating a pilot drugged driving testing program here in Michigan is now headed for the Governor’s’ desk for his signature of approval. The bill passed the Senate in January of this year and then the House earlier this month. But what exactly does it mean for Michigan drivers?
Just over a week ago, a driver in a pickup truck struck a group of bicyclists who were on a casual ride on a Tuesday evening in Cooper Township north of Kalamazoo, Michigan. As details of the tragic incident emerge, one piece of information is stark in its absence – the driver’s intoxication level at the time of the crash. There has been much speculation in the media about whether or not the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. But authorities have been very tight-lipped about this case.
When it comes to states known for pioneering change on the issue of medical marijuana, people tend to think of Colorado and Washington long before they think of Michigan. But that might be about to change.
Practically everyone is familiar with the Breathalyzer – a tool law enforcement uses to detect whether or not a driver has been drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel. (Michigan cops now use the Datamaster for this purpose instead of the Breathalyzer.) But with incidences of distracted driving on the rise across the country, some lawmakers are hoping to nip this problem in the bud by introducing legislation that allows officers to check if a person was using their phone right before a crash.
For many people in Michigan, being charged with a drunk driving / DUI / OUIL or impaired driving is the only time they are going to have any kind of brush with the law. This means if they can just avoid that DUI they can avoid a criminal record that could negatively impact their lives for years to come. So here is a simple list of things you could do to avoid getting pulled over by the police in Michigan for drunk driving.
