In a recent blog post, this blog explained that police cannot use sobriety checkpoints in Oregon. Under the current state constitution such measures are illegal. This is the result of a 1987 constitutional amendment that outlawed the practice. However, as many Portland, Oregon residents know, you can still be stopped by police for suspicion of drunk driving. Unsuspecting motorists may wonder -- when can police officers stop drivers in Oregon for driving under the influence?
State senator proposes sobriety checkpoints for Oregon
Oregon police have a variety of weapons in their arsenal when it comes to stopping drunk driving. They have patrols, breath tests, blood tests, field sobriety tests and more. However, in Oregon it has been illegal to use sobriety check points to identify drunk drivers. In 1987, a constitutional amendment was passed that outlawed the process. However, more than 30 other states use checkpoints as a way to search for and stop drunk drivers.
Field sobriety testing measures
When police suspect that a person has been driving under the influence, there are a variety of tests that police can choose to perform to confirm their suspicions. One common test is the field sobriety test. While people may have visions of people touching their noses or saying the alphabet backwards from popular culture, the truth is actually a little different. Field sobriety tests are sophisticated tests based in science to that help to show if a person has been drinking or not.
Protect your future after being charged with DUI
Drinking alcohol is a frequent activity for many people in Oregon. Even with frequent consumption, people often don't view alcohol consumption as very dangerous. Most people, likely see it as a fun and safe recreational activity. However, if alcohol is combined with driving it can have a major impact on a person's future. This is particularly true for young people, as explained in a recent post, that fall under Oregon's zero tolerance policy.
What is Oregon's zero tolerance policy?
It is widely known that in Oregon, people under the age of 21 are not permitted to purchase or use alcohol. This drinking limit is in place across the United States to help keep young adults and teenagers safe. However, it is also widely understood that many young people recreationally drink alcohol. In response to this, Oregon has created a zero tolerance policy. Many may question what exactly this policy entails.
DUII charges for driver in Portland crash
Drunk driving charges are not black-and-white. Instead, there are a variety of factors that can influence the specific charges that a person faces when arrested for driving under the influence. These factors can include the person's blood alcohol content level, the person's criminal history, if property was damaged prior to the person's arrest and if someone else was injured by the suspected drunk driver. The facts surrounding a person's arrest can, therefore, become important in a drunk driving case.
Certain factors affect blood alcohol content level
If an Oregon resident is convicted of driving under the influence, that person can face serious consequences. The penalties can include jail or prison time, large fines, alcohol education classes, ignition interlock devices, loss of drivers' licenses and more. To avoid these penalties, people need to avoid conviction. While there may be some ways to fight charges once they have been brought, the best way to avoid these penalties is avoid driving with an elevated blood alcohol content level.
Protect your freedom to drive after DUI allegations
The ability to drive is a right that many people look forward to in their teen years and come to depend on as adults. Without the ability to drive a car, people may not have a way to get to work, to school or to other important activities. They might not be able to transport their children where they need to go. Or, undertake important business. When a drunk driving related arrest threatens a person's ability to drive, that person needs to act fast to protect this right. In Oregon, people only have 10 days to contest a drivers' license suspension.
Man doesn't remember drunken police chase -- faces DUII charges
A Portland man claims that he does not remember getting behind the wheel of a car after partying at his sister's house recently. According to reports, the man has told police that it was the first time in a long time that he had drank alcohol before getting into his mom's car and driving away.
Ignition interlock requirements in Oregon
When a person has been convicted of driving under the influence in Oregon, the person can face a variety of penalties. In many cases, the person can be sentenced to jail or prison, to large fines, have their drivers' license suspended or revoked, placed on probation or sentenced to alcohol education classes. The penalties will vary on a number of different factors including the person's criminal history and the circumstances surrounding the person's arrest.
