In California, DUI first offense penalties can be severe and the State of California boasts a relatively high conviction rate for driving under the influence, DUI. According to widely reported 2010 study conducted by Insurance.Com, Los Angeles has the seventh highest number of DUI arrests in the country. This is due in no small part to the large number of licensed drivers residing in city of Los Angeles and surrounding Los Angeles County.
It is estimated that over 12 million vehicles travel through Los Angeles on a daily basis with nearly 6 million licensed drivers in Los Angeles County alone. The chances that any one driver in California is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of two is, according to a fact sheet from the California Department of Motor vehicles, nearly 900 per 100,000 licensed drivers and California boasts a 75 percent conviction rate for DUI cases.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offense which can result in life-threatening and life-changing consequences for both drivers and the victims of alcohol-related vehicle accidents. The penalties for DUI in California can be severe particularly since the legal limit for the concentration of blood alcohol was lowered from .10 to .08. In California DUI first offense conviction can result in a $1000 fine and up to 96 hours in jail and suspension or limitation of driving privileges. Penalties for subsequent DUI convictions can lead to significant jail time.
Measuring blood alcohol content, BAC, is a well established though the test results can be variable depending on the equipment, the training and experience of the test administrator and whether the test was conducted according to established protocols. DUI defense lawyers in Los Angeles specialize in ensuring that DUI suspects are accorded their rights under the law and receive fair treatment during subsequent legal proceedings. DUI defense lawyers in California are in great demand. With thousands of DUI arrests every year, there are a large number of DUI defense lawyers needed to adequately handle the caseload.