This Vehicle Code Section deals with people on DUI probation in Los Angeles County, California, Vehicle Code 23154. Often, the police can look in the computer in their vehicle and see that someone is on probation for a DUI; they pull them over and have them blow into a preliminary alcohol screen device. If they blow a .01 or greater — meaning they have some alcohol in their system, they can write a ticket for this Vehicle Code Section 23154.

This says that a person may be found in violation of this Section if the time of their driving while they on probation for a violation of Vehicle Code Section 23152 or 23153, which is the felony DUI, and the trier of fact can determine that they consumed an alcoholic beverage and were driving a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of .01% or greater as measured by the preliminary alcohol screening device.

Part of this is that the testing shall be instant to lawful detention and administered at the direction of a police officer having reasonable cause to believe the person is driving a motor vehicle in violation of subdivision (a).

So, that's saying is that people can't just pull people over for any reason, just because they want to see if they have any alcohol in their system.

They have to have a lawful reason for pulling them over — some traffic offense — tinting windows, illegal turn, speeding — and then if they smell alcohol on them and it looks like the person has been drinking.

Then they can determine that they're on probation for a DUI. The police officer can have them blow into a preliminary alcohol screening device that most officers carry in their car. If it registers anything a .01 or greater, the person will be cited for this Vehicle Code Section 23154.

Driver's License Suspension

They'll probably be cited with a ticket to the local court in that jurisdiction. The worse thing is, their license will likely be snatched away from them and sent to the DMV, and the DMV is going to be notified, and they have a chance they'll lose their driver's license.

The next element to prove this Vehicle Section, the person shall be told that their failure to submit to our inability to complete a preliminary alcohol screening test or another chemical test as requested will result in the suspension or revocation of the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle for a period of one to three years as provided for in California Vehicle Code Section 133353.1.

So, what this is indicating is that if you fail or refuse to take the preliminary alcohol screening test, they can suspend your license for a minimum of a year, and the police officer has to tell you that.

When they say they failed to take the test, many people will try to blow in the PBT and won't blow hard enough and intentionally try to beat the test by not blowing hard enough into the machine.

This, if it is determined is happening, can put them in a position where they end up with the violation, losing their license for a year or more, and a lot of times, the officers will then take them to the hospital or police station where they can draw their blood to prove that their either a DUI or they have violated this Vehicle Code Section 23154.

As you can see from this Code Section, they take DUIs in Los Angles County very seriously. If a person gets charged with this Code Section, they want to get an seasoned, local attorney who knows how to deal with these DUIs, knows how to deal with the DMV, and knows what it takes to get you the best possible result.

If you're facing a DUI case or if you're facing a violation of Vehicle Code Section 23154, which is offenses involving alcohol and drugs when you're on probation for a DUI, call our law firm for help.