Drunk Driving: A Problem in New Jersey’s Bergen County

Did you know that Bergen County, New Jersey, is one of the top counties in New Jersey for DUI arrests? How much do you know about DUIs and the dangers surrounding them? DUIs are also known as driving under the influence and consist of a defendant driving after they have had too many drinks. There have been questions of how it can be determined that a driver was driving under the influence. The only telltale way is through blood alcohol concentration, also known as BAC. BAC is typically determined through a Breathalyzer test. If you are driving with a BAC of 0.808% or greater in New Jersey, then you have broken the law with a DUI. Some of the serious penalties that follow a DUI include fines, license suspension, an ignition interlock device, jail time, or even community service. Even though a DUI may only be a misdemeanor charge in New Jersey, it is still important to obey the law because it will follow you on your record for years to come.

In an attempt to deter people from DUI charges, Bergen has started to set up DUI checkpoints on New Year’s Eve, the night before Thanksgiving, and the days around high school graduation. These have been proven to be the most futile days when people are most likely to drink and drive. Of course, there are also many checkpoints randomly throughout the year because you just can’t catch them all. Police are particularly on the lookout for drunk drivers since Bergen County sees the highest amount of drunk drivers. However, since so many of these incidents stem from high school and college students, police departments have been working to hold educational programs in high schools to show the deadly effects of drunk driving.

The Truth Behind BAC

So, just how many drinks does it take to have a 0.08 BAC? BAC readings actually depend on many factors, such as the alcohol content of the drink, time frame of consumption, age and other physical characteristics, and being either female or male because women tend to get drunk faster than men due to their physiology. You can try to figure out how much you can drink and still stay under the legal limit, this much is true. For instance, a 12-ounce beer with 5% alcohol has the same alcohol content as a 5-ounce glass of wine with 12% alcohol. However, trying to figure this out misses the point. The true point remains: Drinking alcohol and driving never mixes!

The ramifications are worse than any other penalties you may receive for your crime. For instance, you may see your insurance rates skyrocket after a DUI conviction. You may be forced to take mass transit to work since you can’t drive anymore with a suspended license – and what if you can’t? Will you lose your job? Lastly, you may feel embarrassed with your reputation between your parents, children, and employer. Your conviction will be public record, which means that anybody can see it.

Yes, the best way to avoid a conviction is by thinking about your actions before you get behind the wheel. Don’t let this happen to your life. This is why it is especially important to never drink and drive. If you have been convicted of a DUI in Bergen County, talk to us today. We are experts who can handle your case to the best of our ability. We will always give our all at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, so give us a call today.