1. About Us
  
“South Jersey Marketing
Law” is a full practice law
firm. Our attorneys
specialize in cases involving
but not limited to:
DUI/DWI, medical
malpractice, white-collar
crime, and whistle-blowing
defense. With over 30 years
of experience, our firm is
among the most respected
by our clients in the
NJ/PA/DE region. The
intention of our legal
articles, such as this sample
article, is to shed a light on
specific legal topics that can
have an impact you and
your loved ones. Please feel
free to contact us with your
legal query.
How the Change in the DWI/DUI Law can
Impact the Holiday Season
What to Know: Senate Bill 87
The recent enactment of
Senate Bill 87 has modified
the penalties for repeat
DUI/DWI convictions that
occur within the State of
Maryland. Prior to the
passage of Senate Bill 87,
offenders with repeat
DUI/DWI convictions had less
severe penalties for violators
than by the new penalties
established under Bill 87.
According to an article by
Digital Journal1, repeat
offenders will face either one
full year suspension of
driving privileges or
mandatory participation in
1
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/234281
the State of Maryland
ignition interlock program.
The harsher penalties under
Bill 87 are active during this
holiday season. Attendees
to holiday parties and the
like where alcohol is served
may not be aware of the
enactment of Bill 87 or to the
new and more stringent
penalties for offenders with
repeat DUI/DWI convictions.
The penalties can extend to
registered out-of-state
drivers with repeat
DWI/DUI convictions while
driving within Maryland
borders this holiday season.
The New Maryland DWI/DUI Law & The
Holiday Weekend
South Jersey Marketing Law Firm 11/23/2014 Topic: DWI/DUI
Bill 87 is an at t empt t o reduce t raffic accident s
during t he holiday season as well as t hroughout
t he ent ire year. According t o t he Digit al Journal,
public opinion is in favor of Bill 87 given t he desire
for harsher DUI/DWI laws for repeat offenders.

2. How the Change in the DWI/DUI Law can Impact the Holiday
Season
What to Know: Senate Bill 87
To face charges for a DUI
under Maryland law, a driver
must have a blood alcohol
concentration (BAC)
measured at above 0.082
.
The charge for driving while
impaired (DWI) is still active
under Maryland law. The
driver faces DWI charges
when BAC if measured at 0.06
or 0.07. There is some debate
as to the BAC for DUI/DWI3.
The legal aspect of facing a
DUI/DWI is cognizant to the
legal interpretation of the law
and to the circumstances of
the traffic stop. The Senate
Bill 87 will impose harsher
penalties on legally
intoxicated drivers whom lack
a credible defense.
Drivers while in the State of
Maryland must be aware of
Senate Bill 87 this holiday
season. The impact of
imbibing one too many drinks
will be greater for repeat
offenders. The frequency of
DUI/DWI checkpoints and of
traffic stops does rise during
2
http://www.duifoundation.org/states/mar
yland/
3 http://www.ariilaw.com/duidwi-in-
maryland/penalties
holidays and during the
holiday season.
Bill 87 is an attempt to reduce
traffic accidents during the
holiday season as well as
throughout the entire year.
According to the Digital
Journal, public opinion is in
favor of Bill 87 given the
desire for harsher DUI/DWI
laws for repeat offenders. The
anticipated impact of Bill 87 is
less traffic accidents from
repeat offenders with
convictions from DUI/DWI
violations.
Localized travel during this
holiday season is likely to be
safer on Maryland streets.
Undoubtedly, repeat
offenders with DUI/DWI
convictions will aware
themselves to the harsher
penalties from Bill 87 that is
now on the books as
Maryland law.
Public support for Bill 87 is
within the framework of
enacting bills into laws having
stricter penalties for repeat
offenses as form of crime
prevention. As intended, the
harsher law is to discourage
driving while intoxicated.
The concept of enacting bills
imposing harsher penalties
into laws is also a form of
behavioral modification. The
deterrent of harsher penalties
is to offset the desire or want
to commit the undesirable
behavior. Some bills become
laws as a means to generate
revenue. However, Bill 87
does appear to be a valid
attempt at behavioral
modification to stop repeat
offenders from driving while
alcohol impaired.
According to Digital Journal,
the impact of Bill 87 is still
unknown given the age of the
law. Intuitively, the outcome
will be less repeat offenders
with DUI/DWI convictions
than prior to the bill. The
combination of the deterrent
effect from behavioral
modification and the legal
process of removing repeat
offenders from the road will
have the impact of reducing
the number of drivers while
intoxicated on the road.

3. Legal Market ing Press Release
South Jersey Marketing LawFirm
Geographic Area: NJ/PA/DE
Vidia S. Ramdeen, MPA
Minerva Consulting
Freelance Writing Consultant