Lynchburg Criminal Defense Blog

If you have a history of drunk driving conviction in Virginia, or know someone who does, you may already be familiar with an ignition interlock device. This is an in-vehicle breathalyzer that requires you to provide a breath sample before driving and prevents you from starting the car if your blood alcohol results are above a predetermined benchmark. When discussing IIDs as a preventative measure for drunk driving, proponents frequently give the caveat that they are effective as long as the driver is compliant. 

According to ABC 13 News, a new technology called the Driver Alcohol Detection System is currently in development that would not rely on driver compliance to prevent drunk driving. A charter bus company in Virginia is installing the DADSS system on all its vehicles in the interest of gathering data, making it the first time the system is in use under actual road conditions. The Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety hopes to install the system in all new vehicles in the United States by 2024. 

When Virginia residents think about fraud, they may often consider credit cards and identity theft. However, people also commit fraud when they fabricate insurance claims. There are many ways someone might commit fraud through insurance and it is important for people to understand what this kind of white-collar crime consists of.

Insurance fraud can come in many forms. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, some people may commit this type of fraud after a natural disaster. People may file a claim with their insurance company but include false information so it sounds like their home incurred a significant amount of damage when this is not the case. Additionally, people may sell insurance but lack the proper license. In this situation, fraud occurs because the person selling the insurance typically does not pay out claims but keeps the premiums. Insurance fraud can happen with many different kinds of insurance, including homeowner's, workers' compensation and health insurance. In many situations, people might commit this type of fraud by stealing insurance premiums.

Every school is different when it comes to criminal charges that students face. In general, Deans' offices could put you on some type of warning or expel you from school, depending on the severity of the charge. You should probably check with the relevant college guidelines to see what might happen if you were convicted of a crime.

However, if you were receiving federal student aid, there could be broader concerns. Before you accept any deals or talk to anyone from the Virginia police force versus or attorney's offices, there are some things you may want to know about how criminal charges might affect your eligibility for student aid. 

Young people in Virginia and across the country are looking forward to the summer months. Whether it means a long vacation soaking up the sun or taking on a summer job, students on break may also involve alcohol in their activities. As a parent or a student, you should understand the potential complications that drinking during the summer break can entail, especially when it comes to drinking and driving.

As FindLaw points out, students are likely to enjoy alcohol after a long, stressful school year. There is nothing wrong with drinking responsibly and taking care to avoid driving intoxicated or getting in a car with a driver who has been drinking. However, as you may know, young people are often influenced by their peers, and their inexperience may lead them to make decisions they might not make when they are older. For example, high school students on summer vacation may spend many weekend nights partying with their friends. College students, whether they are over or under 21, can engage in heavy drinking and binge drinking to keep up socially or to relieve the stress of finals and summer jobs.