Archive for April, 2010

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Teenage Drunk Driving – How to Handle the Situation at Home?

Posted on Apr 30, 2010

What could be terrifying than a teenager driving? Maybe teenage drunk driving or even worse, your teenager drinking and driving. Imagine this scenario: your teenager goes out for good time or a movie with their friends. They should be back home at around nine o’clock, but it is already eleven-thirty and you haven’t heard from them. You hope they’re just running late but something inside leads you to believe it is something more. Finally there is a knock on the door and it is a patrolman from the local police department, lights flashing. The patrolman is standing at your door by himself and you automatically think the worst. He then informs you that you must come to the police station to pick up your teen that has been caught driving while intoxicated.

Parental Role in Teenage DUI

What do you say to your teenager on the way home? Do you try to scare him with horror stories and statistics? Do you remain silent and wait for him/her to speak? You should get the answer to these questions now! I am not going to pretend that I am an expert and I am not going to start dishing out advice. But you should be prepared. You should start reading up on all the advice that teenage parenting gurus have to offer. Also, think about some preventive measures find out about peer pressure and what going on at your teenager’s school. As a matter of fact, don’t wait until you have a teenager. Start now! Get involved in your child’s life; not just as an enabler or hoverer.

Serious Parental Choices

The enabler becomes the child’s friend and enjoys the child’s life as if they are reliving their childhood. These are the parents that buy alcohol for their child. We all know this type parent. Remember the friend that everyone would go over his house because his Mom was so cool? She would supply the drinks for you because she thought it would be safer for you to drink at her house rather than sneak off and do it. When you were over there you knew you were in for some fun!

Then there is the helicopter parent, always hovering over their kids. Never allow them enough room to grow. You knew this kid; his mother would never let him out of her sight! That didn’t help because then he would just sneak off and drink.

There are legal ramifications of having a teenager blow a .10 on a breathalyzer test or worse, wrapping his car around a telephone pole. One of his friends can wind up a paraplegic, another dead mainly due to your choices as a parent. This is serious stuff so check into it before you get there. Be a part of their lives as a parent; you’ll have time to be a friend when they are adults.

Drunk Driving, Teenage Drunk Drivers1 Comment »Drunk Driving Parental Guidance Teenage Drunk Driving

Drunk Driving Laws and Liability Issues in California

Posted on Apr 27, 2010

It is a crime in California to drive with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. It is also illegal to driver under the influence of drugs – be it recreational or prescription. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) states: “It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.”

1st Drunk Driving Conviction

On your first DUI conviction in California you will receive jail time of no less than 96 hours and no more than 6 months. The fine will be between $390 – $1,000. Your driver’s license will be suspended for six months, however, the court may grant a temporary restricted license. Your driver’s license will not be reinstated until proof of financial responsibility and proof that you have completed a “driving under the influence” program approved by the state. Depending on the circumstances of the case, a first time drunk driving offense may require you to install an Ignition Interlock Device at your own expense.

2nd Drunk Driving Conviction

A second drinking and driving conviction in California will get you jailed 90 days and to 1 year. The fine will be $390 to $1,000 and your driver’s license will be suspended for 1 year. Your driver’s license will not be reinstated until proof of financial responsibility and proof that you have completed a “driving under the influence” program approved by the state. Depending on the terms of the license suspension, you may be required to install Ignition Interlock Device at your own expense.

3rd Drunk Driving Conviction

Your third DUI conviction in California will mean jail time of 120 days to 1 year. The fine will be $390 – $1,000. You will be considered a “habitual traffic offender” for 3 years following your conviction and have your license suspended for 2 years. Your driver’s license will not be reinstated until proof of financial responsibility and proof that you have completed a “driving under the influence” program approved by the state. You may apply for a restricted driver’s license under certain circumstances by the court; however an Ignition Interlock Device may be required.

4th Drunk Driving Conviction

On your fourth DUI conviction in California you will receive jail time in a state prison for 180 days to 1 year. The fine will be $390 to $1,000. You will be considered by the state a “habitual traffic offender” for 3 years following your conviction and have your driving license revoked for 3 years. Your license will not be reinstated until proof of financial responsibility and proof that you have completed a “driving under the influence” program approved by the state. You may apply for a restricted driver’s license under certain circumstances by the court.

DWI Laws, Drunk DrivingNo Comments »Drunk Driving Laws DUI Conviction Ignition Interlock

Alcoholism Treatment Centers in US

Posted on Apr 23, 2010

Alcoholism treatment Centers in the US provide rehabilitation services for alcoholics. Finding the best alcoholism treatment center for each person’s unique problems can be a hard thing to do. A large amount of information on alcoholism treatment centers is readily available online; however, much of it is too difficult to sift through to be useful.

What should an Ideal Alcoholism Treatment Center Has to Offer?

There are some places where centralized information exists. Places where alcoholics and their loved ones can join together on the internet and share their knowledge rely on each other and spread hope. They can also let other people know about what they have seen at alcoholism treatment centers specifically. The best alcoholism treatment centers will have this service available.

Multiple Diagnoses and Alcoholism Treatment Centers in US

Alcoholism treatment centers exist to help people that cannot shake off the harms from alcoholism, learn what they need to enjoy life, live healthy and be free from alcohol dependency. These facilities are made to help alcoholics to recover physically, heal their mind and regain spirituality. They also can learn about themselves in an alcohol-free environment. The first turn on the road to healing oneself from alcoholism is the will to go through a treatment, and to find an alcoholism treatment center, that is best able to help to a person’s specific problem. Most alcoholism treatment centers can handle the mental health services.

Alcoholism and mental health related disorders often go hand and hand. So called dual diagnosis is growing in popularity in alcoholism treatment centers. Some alcoholism treatment centers specialize in double diagnosis treatment and have drug rehab and other dependency related rehab services as a main focus of their double diagnosis rehabilitation programs. This should be part of the alcoholism treatment center’s program that you choose if it is one of the best.

How to Find the Best Centers

Alcoholism treatment centers and programs in the U.S. have multiplied incredibly and almost all of these centers have mental health, eating disorder, and sex addiction treatment along with drug and alcoholism treatment programs. These double and triple diagnosis treatments are a boon for the addicts and the center alike. Alcoholism treatment center clearing houses exist on the web and organizations like MADD, SADD, and other community based groups that deal with drinking and driving should be able to steer you in the right direction.

MADD1 Comment »Alcohol Addiction MADD SADD