Archive for category Tennessee Traffic Violations
Tennessee DUI Roadblocks This Holiday Season
Posted by Sara Compher-Rice in Tennessee DUI Checkpoints, Tennessee Traffic Violations on December 21st, 2009
‘Tis the season for holiday parties and New Year’s celebrations. Alcohol consumption is often an integral part of these celebrations. As a result, the Tennessee Highway Patrol has announced a plan to increase enforcement as part of National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month. Throughout the state of Tennessee, Troopers will be conducting more than 100 sobriety checkpoints (also known as DUI roadblocks) and driver license checkpoints from now through the New Year’s holiday.
To read more about the increased enforcement and to review a list of planned driver license and DUI roadblock dates and locations, click here. For more information about the crime of Driving Under the Influence in Tennessee, please visit www.tndui.com.
Health Care Professionals and Traffic Arrests
Posted by Steve Oberman in Frequently Asked Questions, Tennessee DUI Consequences, Tennessee Traffic Violations on November 17th, 2009
When a doctor or other health care professional is arrested for a traffic violation, she may need two attorneys. One attorney will defend the traffic violation. But health care professionals who are actually arrested may need a second attorney to advise them on whether or not to report the arrest, and to what agency the arrest should be reported. Doctors and certain other health professionals are required to report certain matters to the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners (the Board).
If you are a physician, before you contact the Board of Medical Examiners, you should first contact a knowledgeable, experienced Tennessee criminal defense attorney who can advise you if it is necessary to retain an attorney who has substantial experience in representing doctors before the Board. Doctors should not contact the Board prior to talking with a qualified attorney, as the Board may later become adversarial.
The Board requires doctors to report any conviction to their physician profile, which is accessible to the public. However, whether or not physicians and other health care professionals are required to report arrests to the Board is less clear. One thing is certain: when health care providers renew their licenses, they must be truthful when answering questions on the renewal form. If you are a physician, you should be aware that when it comes to Tennessee traffic violations and criminal offenses such as Driving Under the Influence of an intoxicant (DUI, DWI, or OWI) or even Reckless Driving, there are certain rules with which you must comply with in order to maintain your professional license. If you are arrested for a traffic violation of any kind, consult with a Tennessee criminal defense attorney familiar with the requirements of the licensing Board.
Is Big Brother Watching?
Posted by Steve Oberman in Tennessee Traffic Violations on August 3rd, 2009
Do you think the government has expanded its law enforcement surveillance too far? Many jurisdictions across the country are now employing the use of both red light cameras and speed enforcement cameras.
Tennessee recently weighed in on the use of such equipment on federal interstate highways. Public Chapter 389, signed by Governor Bredesen on June 9, 2009, permits traffic surveillance enforcement in certain situations. This new law amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-8-198 to provide certain exceptions permitting the use of surveillance cameras on federal interstate highways. One exception states “when employees of the department or construction workers are present, surveillance cameras [may be] used to enforce or monitor traffic violations within work zones designated by the department of transportation; provided, that such cameras shall be operated only by a state entity.”
It is important to note that the new law, which allows the issuance of citations such as speeding tickets and red-light tickets, does limit the use of traffic enforcement cameras to only work zones when department employees or construction workers are present.