Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Kicks Off Nationwide Enforcement Crackdown on Impaired Driving

Releases New Report Highlighting Increasing Number of Impaired Female Drivers

At an event today kicking off a nationwide anti-drunk driving enforcement campaign, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that shows an increasing trend among women driving under the influence of alcohol.  The new analysis is based on an increase in the number of alcohol-impaired female drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2008 compared to the 2007 statistics

“Impaired driving is an issue that cuts across all segments of society and, sadly, the number of arrests of women driving under the influence is on the rise,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.  “This is clearly a very disturbing trend.”
 
The Secretary pointed to statistics from the FBI showing that arrests for women driving under the influence increased by nearly 30 percent (28.8%) over the 10-year period from 1998 to 2007.  Over that same decade, DUI arrests for men decreased by 7.5 percent, although the total number of men arrested during the period outstripped women by about four to one.

Click here to view the FBI statistics.

The NHTSA study confirmed the FBI statistics showing that impaired driving by women is becoming a national safety issue.  According to the NHTSA analysis, the number of impaired women drivers involved in fatal crashes increased in 10 states, and remained flat in five states—despite an overall decline of 9 percent in all drunk driver crashes in 2008 from 2007.

Overall, about 2,000 fatalities a year involve an impaired female driver.

The 10 states with increases in the number of drunk female drivers involved in fatal crashes are: Ohio, New Hampshire, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, West Virginia, Indiana, Washington, Kansas and Tennessee.  The five states where the number of alcohol-impaired female drivers remained unchanged in 2008 were Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Oklahoma and Utah.

Click here to view the NHTSA report.

The nationwide anti-drunk driving enforcement campaign targets drivers in the final weeks of summer before and during the Labor Day holiday weekend.  The annual crackdown is intended to reduce the tragic toll caused by impaired drivers, nearly 12,000 fatalities in 2008.

The campaign is known as Drunk Driving.  Over the Limit.  Under Arrest.  It will involve 11,000 police departments and other law enforcement agencies across the nation.  The enforcement runs from August 21 through the Labor Day weekend.  Police will be redoubling their efforts during this high-risk travel period to ensure that impaired drivers are detected and arrested. Over the Labor Day weekend last year, 40 percent of all fatal crashes involved a drunk driver.

Source: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2009/dot12509.htm

Ohioans are buying the hard stuff!  The Ohio Commerce Dept. reported sales for whiskey and other hard liquors set a record of $729.9 million in fy2008.  This represents an increase of 4.61% and net profits rose to $11.2 million over the previous year.  Ohio benefited to the tune of $163 million which was transfered to the State's general fund. 

In addition to the general fund money $30.4 million was given to retire bonds for small business loans; $14.9 million to retire Clean Ohio Revitilazation Bonds; $9.9 million to the Public Safety Department; $4.1 million to the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Dept.; $1.2 million to the Health Department; $713,505 to the Ohio Liquor Control Commission; $35.8 million in state gallonage taxes deposited in the state treasury; and $5.1 million in additional gallonage taxes for the Cuyahoga County Gateway Stadium project.

I don't use drugs and I don't encourage anyone to do so.  However... imagine how much money Ohio could generate by the systematic taxing and regulation of marijuana.

Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer, Columbus Metropolitan Club, Aug. 12, 2009

Carol, thank you for the warm introduction and for ...   more »

The NEW www.DaytonDUI.com is up and running.  Stop by to see my new-fangled flash animation and other cool stuff.

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!  Take hold ...   more »

One of the most overlooked witnesses on behalf of the accused drunk driver is your bartender.  Often your friendly server is able to answer questions about what you were drinking, how much you had, over what period of time, what your bar bill was, what your drinking habits are; etc.  He or she is also able to give evidence about whether or not you exhibited signs of intoxication.  These pieces of testimony can overcome damaging testimony given by the arresting officer.  Another important fact is that everyone in the courtroom will believe the bartender.  After all, this is not your not-so-sober drinking buddy but a completely objective third party.  That is why you should always be friendly and over-tip your server;  they have a hard job and they might just be your best friend on trial day.

"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak for anything tougher than suet; yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak. Pray, how did you do it?" "In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law, and argued each case with my wife and the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw has lasted the rest of my life."
Lewis Carroll

It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do.
Edmund Burke

Governor Ted Strickland announced today the appointment of Deirdre Logan to the Dayton Municipal Court.  Deirdre Logan, 48, of Dayton, fills the seat vacated by the retirement of Judge Bill C. Littlejohn on June 30, 2009. “Deirdre has earned the respect of the Dayton community through her years as a prosecutor and attorney,” Strickland said. “I am confident that she will serve the Dayton Municipal Court with hard work and professionalism.” Logan will take the bench on Aug. 17, 2009. To retain the seat, she must run in the November 2009 judicial election.

Logan has served as the deputy city attorney for the City of Dayton since January 2009. She previously served as the chief prosecutor for the City of Dayton from 2000-2009 and as the acting chief prosecutor for the City of Dayton from 1998-2000. Logan also served as an assistant prosecutor for the City of Dayton from 1993-1998.

Logan is also an active member of her community. She serves as a board member for the Dayton African American Legacy Institute and as the chairperson of the board of trustees for Day-Mont Behavioral Health Care. She has also served as a board member for Project Impact of Dayton.

“I am honored to be appointed and very grateful to Governor Strickland for the opportunity to continue serving the citizens of Dayton in this new position,” Logan said.

Logan received a bachelor’s degree from Wilberforce University in 1983 and a law degree from Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 1990.

Source: http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/PIO/news/2009/judicialAppt_080309.asp

Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has completed the implementation of equipment to produce a new format of Ohio's Driver License (DL) and Identification CCards (ID) on a statewide basis. In April 2009, the BMV began issuing the new format for state driver license and identification cCards on a pilot basis.The pilot occurred at select agencies in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo.

"Whether it's through preparedness exercises, Homeland Security or the BMV, we are always working to keep Ohioans safe and secure," said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Henry Guzmán. "The new driver license has helped Ohio take a significant step toward keeping with national standCards and improving security."

With the implementation of the new equipment statewide, customers, law enforcement, grocers and others will begin to see the new licenses and IDs in wide circulation. The new format is significantly different in appearance and includes additional security features.Changes include:

• The license has been changed to a salmon color and the design now includes the addition of a state of Ohio outline logo which will indicate the type of card (ie: driver license; commercial driver license; temporary instruction permit and/or identification card).
• The main photo will now appear in the top left-hand corner and the ghost image will appear on the right side of the card.
• The individual's information lines are now numbered to assist law enforcement.
• There is no longer a "table of contents" on the back of the DL or ID with the entire list of driving restrictions; only restrictions applying to the individual are listed and will be abbreviated. If the individual has no driving restrictions, no restrictions will be listed on the back of the DL. This change occurred in November 2008 as part of an initial round of changes.
• The magnetic strip will now identify males or females with a designation of 1 or 2 respectively.

Individuals holding a DL or ID printed in the old formats are still valid until the DL or ID is expired.Customers are not required to obtain a replacement DL or ID if they have the old format. Anyone with questions regarding the new format should contact the Ohio BMV at: 614-752-7500. Get more information and view images of the new driver license and identification cCards. PDF

Red light camera and speed camera manufacturers fear that last month's US Supreme Court ruling in the case Melendez-Diaz v. ...   more »