Tennessee DUI News

First-time driver license and ID applicants; new resident applicants; and REAL ID applicants can now upload some identifying documents online before going to get their drivers licenses and other similar services in order to save time at the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Driver Services Center. The link for these services may be found here. These applicants should allow five business days for their documents to be reviewed. The approved uploaded documents must still be presented at a ... Read More »

The Tennessee Senate has unanimously passed a law requiring law enforcement officers to undergo training on the proper testing procedures for use in investigating cases of suspected driving under the influence (DUI or DWI).  This training would be part of the annual in-service training required for certifications that occur on or after January 1, 2022. The law, if passed by the Tenn. House and signed by the Governor will amend T.C.A. Title 38, Chapter 8 and Title 55, Chapter 10, ... Read More »

On March 15, 2021, Tennessee Senate Bill 0246 was unanimously passed.  If the accompanying House Bill passes as well, as it appears it will, the penalties for Boating Under the Influence of an intoxicant (BUI) will be more closely aligned with the Tennessee penalties for Driving Under the Influence of an intoxicant (DUI). Furthermore, this new law clarifies that the offenses of Vehicular Assault, Aggravated Vehicular Assault, Vehicular Homicide, and Aggravated Vehicular Homicide may be committed by a person boating ... Read More »

A TV news investigation by CBS4 in Denver, Colorado has revealed that some DUI criminal cases as well as some potential drivers license suspension hearings have been dismissed because police have refused to provide suspects with a breath test. Some officers are reluctant to administer breath tests because of their concern for their own safety. Unlike some other states (such as Tennessee), Colorado law allows a DUI suspect to be given the choice of a breath test or blood test ... Read More »

There is good news for those attempting to have their Tennessee drivers license reinstated. Many Tennessee driver’s license holders attempting to reinstate their driver’s license after a suspension or revocation,  find the reinstatement not only expensive, but also time consuming and inconvenient.  The Tennessee Department of Safety has now come to the rescue. On December 2, 2020, the Tennessee Department of Safety (TDOS) announced new online services available for those with suspended or revoked driver licenses.  Although not available for all drivers, ... Read More »

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism released a report in April 2020 discussing the findings of a 2018 survey of per capita alcohol (ethanol) consumption in the United States. The proportion of ethanol used for each beverage type were 0.045 for beer, 0.129 for wine, and 0.411 for spirits.  (citation omitted) The report reveals consumption trends through 2018, including: Per capita consumption of ethanol from all alcoholic beverages combined in 2018 was 2.35 gallons, representing no change from ... Read More »

The question that should arise when dealing with “extreme DUIs” is, what is an extreme DUI?  Generally speaking, the term extreme DUI is a colloquialism referring to a case where the defendant charged with driving under the influence of an intoxicant faces increased punishment due to a blood or breath alcohol level in excess of a certain amount; a blood alcohol level in combination with a controlled substance; or violating this law with multiple controlled substances in their bloodstream. The ... Read More »

According to WATE-TV in Knoxville, the Knoxville, TN FBI field office is reporting a “new twist on an old scam.”  Scammers are scaring victims by telling them their child was arrested for Driving Under the Influence of an Intoxicant (DUI)  after a serious crash. The scammers pose as the child and attorney to demand bail in cash due to COVID-19.  The FBI recommends attempting to reach their child to confirm their safety. There are a lot of things that don’t ... Read More »

Were you aware that a conviction for Boating Under the Influence (BUI) may result in the loss of your driver’s license on land?  It can—in some states, just like Driving Under the Influence (DUI). According to Fox News,  in 2020, thirteen states have laws that revoke a person’s driver’s license if they are convicted of Boating Under the Influence.  The United States Coast Guard maintains a chart indicating whether a BUI conviction impacts and offenders automobile driving privileges in their ... Read More »

On October 16, 2019 U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R. FL) and Tom Udall (D. UT) have jointly proposed legislation known as the Reduce Impaired Driving for Everyone Act of 2019 or the RIDE Act of 2019.  According to Senator Scott’s website, the proposed law will “fund the technology transfer of federally funded research and development of advanced alcohol detection software – technology that detects whether a driver is impaired over the legal limit and, if so, prevents that driver from ... Read More »