Kellis Is Driving While High More Dangerous than Driving Drunk

Is Driving While High More Dangerous than Driving Drunk?

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

In October 2018, the YouTube channel Try Guys published two videos: one of them driving while high, and one of them driving while drunk. They tested their inebriated driving abilities on a closed course. The purpose of these videos was to specifically check how both driving drunk and driving while high affected the driver’s senses, reaction time and confidence.

The tests were set up as such: First, the drivers maneuvered through the course completely sober. The course is full of normal obstacles you may find on the road every day, such as stop signs, lane closures and hairpin turns.

They looked at two initial variables: how long it took to complete the course, and how many cones were knocked over. These tests were the control for the experiment.

Then, the drivers became legally inebriated (drinking to at least a 0.08 blood alcohol content for one video, and smoking enough marijuana to feel “stoned” in the other), and drove the course again.… Read More

kellis Top 9 Things to Do in Philadelphia This Winter

Top 9 Things to Do in Philadelphia This Winter [MAP]

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

FAST FACTS

  • 43 million people visited Philadelphia last year, many for year-end celebrations
  • Philly’s Holiday markets, seasonal displays and skating rinks can be enjoyed all winter
  • The 110 year-old Met Opera House reopens this December after a $45 million renovation

Philadelphia comes alive for the winter season, from its spirited Holiday celebrations to the spectacularly unique tradition that is the New Year’s Day Mummers Parade.

Many of us literally count down the days to some of these events. Time-honored traditions like visiting the Holiday Garden Railway at the Morris Arboretum with kids or watching the ball drop in Franklin Square at midnight on New Year’s have become a huge part of local Philly culture.

Just remember to make responsible decisions during your festivities. Also, remember that if you are facing charges as a result of a DUI arrest on any of these days, then you have the right to contest your charges to have them potentially reduced or dropped outright with the help of a Pennsylvania DUI attorney.… Read More

Am I Allowed to Avoid a DUI Checkpoint

Am I Allowed to Avoid a DUI Checkpoint in Pennsylvania?

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

FAST FACTS

  • 1.8% of the people in Pennsylvania report driving after believing they’ve had too much to drink.
  • Between 2003 and 2012, 4,663 people were killed in drunk driving accidents across the state.
  • The rate of death for people between the ages of 21 and 34 is higher than the national average.

You have gone out on the town, whether it was to a friend’s house or the local bar, and you are on your way home. You see signs and flashing lights and wonder what in the world could be going on. As you get closer, your stomach drops and you begin looking for any opportunity to turn around. You’ve run smack into a DUI checkpoint. What are your options?

Many people believe that they are required to move through the checkpoint simply because it is in place. The truth is that you are not legally required to travel through the checkpoint.… Read More

Top Halloween Parties in Philadelphia This Year

Top Halloween Parties in Philadelphia This Year

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on
  • There were 168 traffic fatalities on Halloween between 2012 and 2016.
  • 23% of pedestrian versus vehicle accidents involve drunk driving.
  • 44% of fatal crashes on and before Halloween involve an impaired driver.

 

Philadelphia knows how to celebrate Halloween, which means if you’re looking for a party, you’re not going to have to look very far. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly event or something catered to adults, you’re not going to have a problem coming up with choices.

As Pennsylvania DUI lawyers, we understand that you want to have a good time but please, don’t drink and drive. You want your night to be frightening, but you don’t want to end it behind bars.

Family Events

1) The Glow Jack O’Lantern Experience

You’ll find this event in West Fairmount Park through October 28. You and the little ones will delight in the trail lines with glowing pumpkins that are intricately carved.… Read More

Your Guide to Oktoberfest in Pennsylvania

Your Guide to Oktoberfest in Pennsylvania

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

FAST FACTS

Oktoberfest, held mid-September through early October, is one of the most highly anticipated events in each city that participates in the festivities. Cities and towns around Pennsylvania are no exception.

If you are looking for something exciting to do in the coming days, you won’t have to look far or hard. As Pennsylvania DUI lawyers, we strongly urge revelers to pay attention to how much brew they consume. No one wants to end their night out in the back of a squad car.

Here are some of the events that will be held across the state this year.

1. Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh Oktoberfest – September 14 through September 22

The Southside Works in Pittsburgh is hosting two full weekends of fun. Entertainment, imported beer, and prizes make the event worth attending.… Read More

What You Need to Know About the Cannabis Beverage Trend

What You Need to Know About the Cannabis Beverage Trend

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

FAST FACTS

When the fight to legalize marijuana began, some pictured people getting high on street corners and running rampant through neighborhoods. Others pictured sitting in on their decks, finally being able to do what they had already been doing without the worry of arrest.

There were attitudes and feelings everywhere in between. Many didn’t think beyond smoking the drug and the problems it may or may not cause. Few considered the trend that is taking hold now: Cannabis beverages.

Sales of soda/pop/Coke (depending on the region you live in) are down to the lowest point they’ve seen in three decades. People are forgetting the soda and grabbing what they perceive to be healthier drinks instead.

Coconut water and Kambucha tea are hot right now and in some states, cannabis beverages are hitting the shelves.… Read More

How a DUI Can Affect Your College Career

How a DUI Can Affect Your College Career

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

FAST FACTS

  • 39% of traffic deaths in Pennsylvania involve at least one impaired driver.
  • 1,825 college students die each year as a result of drinking and driving.
  • More than 3 million college students report having driven under the influence of alcohol.

When you go to college, you’re going to spend your days attending classes and hitting the books. You may even work part- or full-time while you attend school. College can be a stressful time, and you’re sure to be under pressure.

One way you may choose to relieve your stress is to hit the town or go to a party with friends. Unfortunately, many young adults make poor choices when it comes to drinking and driving. If you’re someone who enjoys a drink, be careful — here’s how a DUI in Pennsylvania can ruin your college career.

The Immediate Consequences of a DUI

Being arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol has immediate consequences.… Read More

10 Things You Could Buy with the Money You'd Have to Spend on a DUI

10 Things You Could Buy with the Money You’d Have to Spend on a DUI

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

FAST FACTS

  • In 2016, there were 297 alcohol-related fatalities on Pennsylvania roads.
  • More than 9,000 people involved in crashes were found to be impaired.
  • 25% of traffic fatalities were alcohol-related.

When a person is convicted of driving under the influence in Pennsylvania, they face a series of penalties. Jail time, license suspensions, fines and court costs all make a DUI conviction something to be avoided.

The minimum fine for a first time DUI conviction is $300. To put that in perspective, we’ve put together a list of things you could spend that kind of money on that could bring joy to your life.

10 Things You Could Buy with the Money You'd Have to Spend on a DUI infographic

View/Download PDF

1. Season Passes

If you live in Pennsylvania, you have access to parks like Kennywood and Hershey. Your neighbor, Ohio, has one of the most popular amusement parks in the midwest: Cedar Point.

For $300, you could buy two premium season passes to Kennywood, a season pass to Hershey Park and a couple tickets for your friends, or two season passes to Cedar Point.… Read More

Can Uber Actually Reduce DUIs in Pennsylvania

Can Uber Actually Reduce DUIs in Pennsylvania?

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

FAST FACTS

  • 4,663 people were killed in drunk-driving related crashes in Pennsylvania between 2003 and 2012.
  • Men were more likely to be involved in fatal accidents in 2012.
  • 1.8 percent of drivers admitted to operating their vehicle after having drank too much.

Drunk driving remains a problem, despite campaigns to curtail the behavior. In the state of Pennsylvania, a driver is considered too impaired to drive once their blood alcohol content reaches 0.8 percent or higher.

For some people, this means a few drinks consumed within a couple of hours. For others, it means only one or two. There are too many variables when it comes to blood alcohol content to know how high you will register. The best idea is this: If you have a single adult beverage, don’t drive.

Many people claim that they have driven while impaired simply because they had no other way to get home. While this may have been true in the past, ride sharing services like Uber make catching a ride home and then back to your car in the morning as easy as tapping your phone.… Read More

How a DUI Case Makes its Way Through the Pennsylvania Court System feature image

How a Pennsylvania DUI Goes Through the Court System

Posted by Steven E. Kellis on

It is stressful when you are forced to deal with the unknown. Being charged with DUI for the first time means that you will be facing several unknowns. You not only have to deal with the anxiety of being charged with a crime, but the upcoming court process. While a DUI is certainly a serious charge, it may help to ease your fears by knowing what you are about to go through.

The court process for anyone charged with a DUI in Pennsylvania follows a typical set of steps. Your path may differ from the norm, of course, but there are certain things you can reasonably expect to happen.

1. Charges

The very first thing to happen is the traffic stop. You may have already gone through this or know someone who has. A police officer pulls you over, you are asked to submit to a set of tests and placed under arrest.… Read More