Polk County DUI Attorney Blog

Labor Day drivers should be aware. The City of Lakeland plans to step up patrols between now and September 7, 2009, as a part of the statewide crackdown against drunk drivers. Lakeland Police will be hosting a DUI checkpoint sometime over the Labor Day weekend. The date, place and time of this checkpoint have not been released for obvious reasons. In addition to the one time sobriety checkpoint, Lakeland Police will be out in full force looking for offending drivers.

Florida statistics reported 22,200 alcohol related accidents in the year of 2008, with 1,100 of those are fatalities. Officers have issued a statement of possessing a no tolerance policy over the upcoming holiday weekend. Second chances will not be given to any driver for any violation, whether a minor seatbelt infraction or driving under the influence charges.

Labor Day weekend is considered the deadliest driving holiday on our roadways. Last year 36 travelers were killed over the three day weekend. Out of those fatalities, 12 were alcohol related.

Florida has implemented the Ignition Interlock System for those convicted of driving under the influence. The Ignition Interlock System is a device installed on the steering wheel of an automobile. It requires the driver to submit a breath sample before the vehicle will start. After five minutes, the driver must submit another breath sample. If both samples are free of alcohol, the automobile will then start. The driver is then required to submit another breath sample for every thirty minutes of drive time.

Not every DUI offender is ordered to install this device on their vehicle. Each case is different ranging from the severity of the case to the number of the offender's prior convictions. The Ignition Interlock System could be installed for up to six months time for first time offenders or a minimum of two years for those with three DUI convictions.

The State of Florida is taking part in a special operation to keep drunk drivers off of the road over the Labor Day holiday weekend. The Over the Limit, Under Arrest is planned for police agencies across the country. The Osceola Sherriff's Office plans to participate in this nationwide campaign.

The residents of Polk County, Osceola County and surrounding areas can expect officers out in full force over the three day weekend. Deputies will be stepping up patrols during the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. The Osceola Sheriff's Department had participated in similar missions on July 31 and August 14 of this year. Both nights yielded a total of 103 citations and 6 arrests.

The Over the Limit, Under Arrest campaign is designed to promote community awareness and drunken driving prevention. Under Florida Law, an individual is considered impaired to drive with blood alcohol content of .08 or above. The amount of alcohol needed to influence impairment depends on a number of factors; including the drinker's size, sex, and food and sleep intake. Drunk driving is the cause of death in 41% of all traffic accidents. However, the devastating effect of a drunk driving conviction stems further than just the embarrassing experience of an arrest.