Roanoke Virginia Criminal Defense Law Blog

When you choose to challenge the drunk driving charges that have been filed against you, the common answer you are likely to receive is that the numbers do not lie. If you registered a blood-alcohol content measurement above .08 on a breath test in Roanoke, that may seem to be all that is needed to prove guilt. Yet the potential inaccuracies inherent in such devices have been detailed on this blog in the past. If you are going to challenge the accuracy of a breath test, then you may need to be able to counter by showing that your actions did not reflect one who was legally drunk. 

Doing this requires knowing the different control centers of the brain and how alcohol affects them. According to The Alcohol Pharmacology Education Partnership, the major areas of the brain affected by alcohol (and the results intoxication produces) are as follows: 

• Frontal cortex: This controls behavior, which is why alcohol can produce excitation and a loss of inhibition
• Motor cortex: As the name implies, this coordinates movement, which results in slowed reaction times when affected by alcohol
• Cerebellum: This area controls balance and coordination, which explains why people who intoxicated often display an unsteady gait
• Medulla: Also known as the brainstem, this area detects toxins in the blood and sends signals to the stomach to induce vomiting, which often accompanies intoxication
• Hippocampus: This controls memory, and is inhibited by alcohol from consolidating information, which explains why many have poor memories of being drunk

It may be easy for people in Roanoke to simply assume that anyone who allegedly drives after drinking has little thought or care for the safety of others. Of course, such an assumption requires believing that any person suspected of driving under the influence knew of the dangers that they were creating and chose to drive anyway. Oftentimes, that simply is not the case. Rather, one who is accused of DUI may have indeed believed themselves to be lucid enough to drive, or perhaps felt that they had little choice but to drive after attempting to make alternate arrangements. 

A recent crash that occurred in Pennsylvania may serve to show exactly why one might feel compelled to drive (even after drinking). A group of people from Ohio were driving home after having been drinking. While traveling along a state highway early in the morning, the car the group was traveling in left the road and hit a guardrail. Four people (including the driver) sustained serious injuries in the crash and were rushed to local hospitals for treatment; another passenger was able to escape serious injury. A subsequent test administered to the driver showed his blood alcohol content to be well above the legal limit. 

Regardless of a person's views on owning and shooting guns or gun rights in general, most people in Virginia are likely to be horrified about the recent shooting that took place in late May in Virginia Beach. The loss of a dozen lives at once is hard for any community to take in and make sense of. However, this event does not necessarily mean that every resident in Virginia will share the same views on how to prevent these events from happening in the future.

As reported by Fox News, the Governor of Virginia has called for a special session of the state legislature to convene next month. The sole focus of that session is to be gun control and gun rights. Virginia is generally considered to be a state in which the protection of residents' constitutional right to own firearms has been protected vehemently, potentially in part because the state is the home of the National Rifle Association.

Taking a road trip in Virginia can be an enjoyable experience, but things can take a turn for the worse if you're pulled over by police.

While this is always a concern, even if you're following the rules of the road, there are steps you can take to avoid police and the associated trouble. Here are several things to keep in mind from the second you get behind the wheel:

• Practice defensive driving: Aggressive drivers, such as those who are speeding and always changing lanes, are more likely to find themselves in trouble with police. Not only does defensive driving help you avoid legal trouble, but it also lessens the likelihood of an accident.
• Know the law: From speed limits to no passing zones, it's a must to understand the laws on the roads you're driving. Also, keep in mind that things will change over the course of your road trip, such as the speed limit.
• Beware of speed traps: Before leaving home, search online for more information on potential speed traps set up along your route. Also, keep an eye out for areas that set up nicely for a trap, such as a stretch of highway where the speed limit quickly changes.
• Don't act suspicious: You're likely to see more than one police officer on your road trip. If you act suspicious, such as trying to avoid eye contact, the officer is likely to take notice.