The Finney School of Real Life

DUI (driving under the influence) laws vary from state to state. The alarming rise in the number of accidents as a result of driving under the influence is alarming and needs to be curbed. According to a recent survey, most road accidents are caused by rash driving or driving while intoxicated (DWI). Offenders make driving dangerous, not only for themselves, but for anyone on the road. To deal with this situation, strict laws and rules are enforce all over the world, and California is no exception.

In California, a first time offender may be let off with a fine. Depending on the severity of the accident, the offender’s license could also be suspended, and he could face probation for up to three years. It is mandatory for all offenders to attend a DUI education course.

The most common criteria for deciding the fine, penalty and charge is the alcohol blood level of the offender. The blood alcohol content is measured by using a blood sample or breath test. In Los Angeles, it is unlawful for any person who has a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more to drive a vehicle.

United State’s law dictates that it is a legal offense if a person drives any vehicle under the influence of any drug, including alcohol. Similarly, it is crime if a person who has a blood alcohol level of 0.08% is caught driving a vehicle. It needs to be pointed out that is unlawful to have an excessive blood-alcohol concentration while driving and not when tested. This is because it takes between 30 minutes to three hours for the alcohol to be absorbed in the system. The concentration can continue to rise for some time after the offender is arrested.

Los Angeles DUI Lawyers provides detailed information about Los Angeles DUI lawyers, driving under the influence, DUI and fines and more. Los Angeles DUI Lawyers is affiliated with Florida DUI Attorneys Info.

It’s important for all consumers–and especially those with a
bankruptcy or credit problems in the past–to monitor their
credit reports. The Fair Credit Reporting Act entitles every
consumer to a free credit report from each of the three major
credit reporting agencies once each year. Those reports can be
obtained directly from the credit reporting agencies, or all
three can be ordered at no charge through
www.annualcreditreport.com.

Take care, though, in typing in that URL. Or better yet, visit
the Federal Trade Commission’s “Credit” page at www.ftc.gov and
follow the link from there. The FTC warns that companies with
similar-sounding URLs may offer free credit reports but actually
tie the receipt of those reports to other purchases.

A search for “free credit report” brought up both the authorized
site above and the FTC information page, but the top ten results
also included four companies providing free credit reports along
with automatic enrollment in a credit watch program at prices
ranging from $9.95 to $12.95/month. Another company in the top
ten results actually offered the three credit reports for
sale–for $29.95–but offered a free credit score when you paid
for the reports.

The credit score isn’t included in the free annual reports, but
consumers who are only monitoring their credit reports for
accuracy won’t really need the score. For those who need scores
to plan a major purchase–or who just want to know–those scores
can be purchased through www.annualcreditreport.com when a free
annual report is requested.

Paying for a report that should be free, or for an unnecessary
service, isn’t the greatest risk, though. The FTC also warns
that companies claiming to provide free credit reports may be
using the information gathered for altogether less honorable
purposes. At the least dangerous end of the spectrum, they may
simply be gathering personal information for sale to marketing
companies. However, some such companies have used the claim that
they’re providing credit reports as a means of obtaining
information for identity theft.

The bottom line is that there are only two officially accepted
ways to obtain your credit report: go through
www.annualcreditreport.com, or order the three reports from each
of the three credit reporting agencies individually. The FTC
offers more extensive information about credit reports and the
companies that provide them on its website.

If you’re checking your credit reports–and you should be–make
sure that you do the research necessary to know who you’re
dealing with and exactly what you’re signing on for.

(C) 2006, Total Bankruptcy, Inc. This article may be reproduced
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