DUI Laws

Some laws governing the use of alcohol are fairly uniform no matter which U.S. state you visit. For instance, all fifty states have made it illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) higher than 0.08 percent, known as “driving under the influence” or “DUI” in many states. Also, many states have “dram shop laws,” which differ in their particulars but which all allow lawsuits against alcohol sellers who continue selling drinks to someone who is obviously intoxicated.

Some alcohol laws, however, vary wildly from state to state, and what is legal in one state may be illegal only a few miles away in another state. Many of these laws are unnecessarily confusing or burdensome, according to a recent editorial in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

For instance, in Texas, a law prohibits partygoers from consuming more than three sips of beer or another alcoholic beverage while standing, lest they commit an act of “public drunkenness.” Pennsylvania doesn’t prevent bar patrons from drinking, but it does limit the number of liquor licenses based on population, making it difficult, if not impossible, for new restaurants and bars to serve alcohol legally.

Even here in New Hampshire, state-run liquor stores can be found in interstate rest areas. Add the burdens of administrative license suspensions, hearings, court dates, and the stiff penalties most states impose when a driver is convicted of DUI, and the simple act of having a beer can become bafflingly complicated.

Drunk driving laws can be confusing, and a case based on them can be overwhelming. If you’re facing DUI charges, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced DUI defense lawyers in New Hampshire at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. We will fight to protect your rights and seek the best possible outcome in your case. For a free and confidential telephone consultation, call us today at (603) 624-3700.

The laws in New Hampshire and other states that prohibit driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (DUI) do result, in some cases, with individuals facing arrest and conviction. However, according to researchers like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), heavy DUI penalties aren’t just for punishment. Rather, the IIHS has explained that DUI laws play an important role by preventing some drivers from getting behind the wheel at all.

According to the IIHS, many drivers who may be intoxicated or impaired are never stopped by law enforcement. Even increased patrol efforts like the saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints that New Hampshire police relied on over Labor Day cannot stop every driver. Therefore, law enforcement officials rely on deterrence: let the public know there are hefty consequences for drunk driving, and people will think about whether or not they are too impaired to drive legally or safely. People who think they are too impaired won’t drive and fewer drivers will be arrested on suspicion of DUI.

For instance, the IIHS recommends that people who may be impaired can call a friend, ride with a designated driver, take a cab or public transportation, walk, or switch to non-alcoholic drinks and wait out the time needed to “sober up.” All of these choices decrease the chance a driver will be arrested for DUI, and they help that person travel safely.

If you or someone you love is facing arrest or charges for a DUI in New Hampshire, the experienced New Hampshire DUI attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help. For a free and confidential consultation by telephone, call us today at (603) 624-3700.

Each year in New Hampshire, drivers are pulled over because an officer believes the driver just broke a traffic rule or has another vehicle violation, like an expired license plate or a broken tail light. Even though the officer did not pull the driver over on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI), the driver still finds himself on the receiving end of DUI charges. How does this happen?

In order to arrest a driver on suspicion of drunk driving in New Hampshire, a police officer must have what is known as “probable cause.” Probable cause is more than a mere hunch that the driver has been drinking; it must be based on some observable evidence. This evidence can be gathered at any time during the traffic stop.

Even though an officer may pull a driver over for a violation like running a stop sign or having broken headlights, the officer is always looking for signs of other possible criminal behavior. This means that an officer may also be looking for signs of intoxication. Detecting drunk drivers in NH involves various tell-tale symptoms, including slurred speech, the smell of alcohol, or difficulty doing multiple things at once, like finding a driver’s license in your wallet while also telling the officer your name. An officer who sees any of the signs that can indicate drunk driving may order the driver to perform one or more field sobriety tests or take a breath test, even if the original reason the officer pulled the driver over had nothing to do with possible impaired driving.

Whether or not an officer has probable cause to arrest a driver for DUI depends on the facts of each case. The experienced New Hampshire DWI defense attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. carefully examine each client’s case and fight hard to secure the best possible outcome in court. If you’re facing drunk driving charges in New Hampshire, call Tenn And Tenn, P.A. today at 1-603-624-3700 for a free and confidential consultation.

New Hampshire’s law enforcement teams pride themselves on enforcing some of the toughest driving under the influence (DUI) laws in the country. But is this really the case? When it comes to tough drunk driving laws, how does New Hampshire stack up?

Like all other U.S. States, New Hampshire has a per se DUI law, which makes it illegal to drive if your blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, is 0.08 percent or higher (or 0.02 if under 21 years old). New Hampshire also has an administrative license suspension law that suspends a driver’s license for up to six months if the driver is arrested on suspicion of DUI. Also, New Hampshire has an ignition interlock requirement, in which repeat offenders must have a device placed on their car that checks their BAC and prevents the driver from starting the car if he or she has been drinking. Jail time, steep fines, insurance requirements, community service, and required rehabilitation round out the possible penalties for a New Hampshire DUI conviction.

However, New Hampshire’s DUI laws are lighter than those in some other states. For instance, many U.S. states require jail time for a first DUI conviction. Regardless of the penalties, however, a DUI conviction means a permanent criminal record, high costs, and other penalties. The experienced New Hampshire drunk driving attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help you fight a NH DWI charge and seek the best possible outcome in your case. For a confidential consultation, call Tenn And Tenn, P.A. today at 1-603-624-3700 or on our free DWI helpline ast 1-888-511-1010.