Monday, August 29, 1983The Daily Tar Heel7A
Bars to observe
drinking age act
Drinking age leaves
18 -year-olds dry
By SHERRI GOODSON
Staff Writer
As Oct. 1 approaches, marking the beginning of North
Carolina's new drunk driving law, tension is mounting on and
around the UNC campus.
The new law passed this summer will raise the legal drinking
and purchasing age for beer and wine to 19, will increase the
severity of punishment for underage drinking and for loaning
out an ID to someone underage and will create a new charge
driving while impaired that will make it impossible to plea
bargain by eliminating lesser charges such as reckless driving.
"You can't drink and drive anymore. Period," said Dorothy
Bernholz, director of Student Legal Services. "But the most
damage will be done and a car doesn't even have to be involv
ed when a person buys a beer for someone under 19 or loans
his ID to a person under 19 to buy beer. Both these people will
automatically lose their licenses for one year."
The new DWI charge, which will replace the charge of driving
under the influence, is an easier charge to be arrested for
because of its definition. A person can be charged with a DWI if
t heir blood alcohol content is at least 0. 10 or if he is judged to be
driving under the influence of a substance which has appreciably
impaired his mental or physical faculties or his driving ability. If
one drink is enough to impair you in ?vy of these ways, then one
drink is enough to get you arrested.
Chapel Hill Police Chief Herman Stone said that the depart
ment has no plans for a major crackdown. Stone said that he
vas depending on cooperation from bar owners and students,
Hit ihat the situation may be later re-evaluated and more law en
orcement added.
If students are pulled over by a police officer, they should not
t-xpect him to be powerless. The officer has the authority to tow
a car, automatically take a license for 10 days, give any number
of dexterity tests and jail someone until he is sober enough to
drive.
The punishments for a DWI charge range from the severe to
the slight. The maximum punishment is up to two years in jail, a
fine up to $2,000 and a loss of license for one year. The least
punishment is 24 hours in jail, andor 24 hours of community
service andor loss of license for 30 days and a fine of $100.
Other factors deterrnining the severity of punishment include
whether the offender has a prior DWI conviction, a good driv
ing record or was speeding more than 30 mph over the limit.
A DWI charge can also be expensive. If convicted, a person
can expect to have his car insurance premiums increase by 450
percent over a three year period and legal fees can average
$1,000 as compared to an average $250 fee for a DUI charge.
Since it will be easier to draw a DWI charge, people are being
told to handle themselves differently with a police officer if they
are pulled over. Since one drink may be considered enough to
impair you, admitting to having "just one" can lead to big
problems.
"Before, advice to students would be to cooperate com
pletely. Now you should absolutely not say anything, while at
the same time appearing like 'Mr. Nice Guy.' If you admit to
drinking, you're in big trouble," Bernholz said.
Bernholz also emphasized the severity of the new law. "In this
town, if you drink and drive, you will be arrested."
The Student Legal Services advises students to follow
these guidelines to avoid trouble when the new law goes
into effect Oct. 1:
Do not buy alcohol illegally. Buying alcohol if you
are under 19 years of age, using another person's ID to
purchase alcohol and buying alcohol for an underage
person is illegal.
' Do not drink and drive.
If you are questioned and arrested:
Do not physically or verbally resist even if you feel
you are innocent. Resistance can mean another charge
against you.
Remain silent and do not offer information or ex
planations. Explanations may incriminate you directly or
indirectly. Talk to no one except an attorney about the
situation.
Be aware that you have the right to refuse if the
police request consent to search your car or ask you to do
it for them. If they search anyway, voice your objection
but do not resist. Your person may be searched incident
to a lawful arrest. You may request the opportunity to
make a telephone call.
Report an automobile accident to the police if you
are involved in one. Make no admissions as to liability of
anyone, and if you are insured, contact your insurance
agent promptly.
Remember that your refusal to take a breathalyzer
test will result in suspension of your license for one year.
You may also be required to perform dexterity tests.
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Katy Lichota, a chemistry and biology major, cards Willie Bissette at the Upper Deck while his brother, Garth, a UNC
alumnus, looks on. Stricter penalties had led N.C. bars and restaurants to check IDs more thoroughly.
Chapel Hill forms "Z-Squad"
Police crack down on drunk drivers
By SUE KUHN
Staff Writer
The recent crackdown on drunken drivers will be
stepped up in Chapel Hill when the new Safe Roads
Act takes effect Oct. 1.
The law, passed by the North Carolina General
Assembly July 13, stiffens penalties for people con
victed of driving while impaired. Changes from the
current law include mandatory jail sentences, higher
fines and the possible forfeiture of the defendant's
vehicle.
And the Chapel Hill Police Department is con
tinuing its program of paying patrolmen to work
overtime for catching potential DWI offenders.
Under the program, patrol officers have formed a
"Z-Squad" of officers to look for offenders. The
squad uses marked cars on a shift from 10 p.m. to 4
a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The police department receives $66,000 per year
from a federal grant to fund the program.
Since October 1982, the number of drunken
drivers stopped by patrolmen has increased by 85
percent, mainly because of the increase in man
power on the streets.
Using computer data of past offenders charged
with driving under the influence, patrol officers also
are alerted to potential drunk drivers. Studies show
the composite offender is 24!2 years of age, white, a
student and a resident of Chapel Hill. He will
probably take the Breathalyzer test, and will be pull
ed off the street between 1 and 4 a.m., the data indi
cates 'If we observe any erratic driving
... and discover an odor of alcohol on
the driver's breath, then we take
action.'
Carrboro Police Chief
,...,. A. "Sid" Herjes
?i
"Thirty percent of the people we arrest are
students," said Master Officer Gregg Jarvies of the
Chapel Hill Police Department. "But they may be
high school students or students from N.C. State,
Duke, or Virginia. We arrest a lot of out-of-state
students after football games.
"The thing about UNC students is that most of
them walk."
Target areas for picking up drunk drivers fall
along Airport Road between the police station and
Franklin Street, and on West Franklin Street.
During the first year of the CHPD's program
October 1981 through September 1982 emphasis
was placed on traffic accident prevention. The
department used its funds to buy and install a com
puter, enabling police to analyze where accidents
most frequently occurred. The grant money also
was used to purchase a new Breathalyzer machine, a
radar unit and training and public education films.
Beginning last October and continuing through
this year, money has been funneled to deal directly
with DUI enforcement.
For police in Carrboro, no changes have been
made in the town's attempts to minimize drunken
driving. Carrboro officials have not received a grant
for stricter enforcement. - . ......
"If we observe any erratic driving crossing the
center line, weaving in and out of traffic and
discover an odor of alcohol on the driver's breath,
then we take action," said Police Chief A. "Sid"
Herjes. "But we don't set up any roadblocks."
During the school year, the number of DUI ar
rests in Carrboro increases only slightly, Herjes said.
"Students are not as big a problem as we think,"
he said.
By KATHERINE SCHULTZ
Staff Writer
When the Safe Roads Act becomes ef
fective on Oct. 1, local bar and restaurant
managers expect a slowdown in business
but not enough to force beer, wine and li
quor prices up.
The North Carolina General Assembly
passed the bill to combat drunken driving.
Two important measures are the raising of
the legal age for buying beer and wine
from 18 to 19 and the dramshop law. The
dramshop law makes bars, restaurants and
stores liable for wrecks caused by under
aged customers.
The law goes into effect Oct. 1, and
several bar and restaurant managers said
they are prepared.
"Business will slow down because it's
cutting out one-fourth of the under
graduates," Four Corners manager Rebec
ca Ikenberry said. "It won't be so extreme
that we will have to raise prices."
Robin Miller, manager of Papagayo
Mexican Restaurant, said she expects a
decrease in business, but does not expect
prices to change because of the new law.
"We plan to expand our lighter menu to
include more wine recipes, such as sangria.
When business is slowing, it makes sense
to offer more variety."
At Spanky's, manager Robert Wease
said he thinks business will slow only
slightly because of the establishment's
older clientele.
Tom Purdy, owner and manager of
Purdy's, said fewer than 2 percent of Pur
dy' s members are 18 not enough to
hamper sales.
"We will still allow 18-year-olds on the
premises, but they will not be allowed to
drink," Purdy said. "Since we'll still allow
18-year-olds on the premises, we'll change
our stamp system to include (a stamp) for
non-drinkers. We will prosecute those who
attempt to break the law."
One problem merchants face is the use
of fake identification among those under
19 who want to gain entry to a bar.
Purdy's has arrested 25 to 30 offenders in
the past six months for using improper
identification. Under the old policy, fake
ID cards were confiscated.
Other merchants also are making plans
to enforce the new law. Four Corners will
continue with its policy of prosecuting
people attempting to use fake identifica
tion. Papagayo's manager said the restaurant
will have a doorman seven nights a week
carding and stamping. She said there'had
been a problem with parents buying drinks
for underaged children, which is not
allowed.1, ,
Wease of Spanky's said management
would check identification at the door
and, on occasion, at tables. He said there
are usually no problems from University
students, but instead from high school
students.
"Our doormen can usually spot a fake
ID," Wease said. "When we get one, we
prosecute the person."
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From page 1
.10 percent or higher blood-alcohol rating im
mediately lose their licenses for 10 days.
The law also includes the following:
Forfeiture of cars. People who drive with
suspended driver's licenses must turn over their
cars to law enforcement officials.
Tougher penalties for minors. Underage
drivers who buy beer, wine or liquor illegally
will face more stringent penalties, including
lengthy license suspensions for those under 18.
Roadblocks. Police may use roadblocks to
catch drunken drivers.
Community service. Those convicted of
DWI may be required to perform community
work in addition to jail terms and fines.
And one compromise measure in the law
allows passengers, but not drivers, to drink beer
and wine in cars.
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We'll give you 1 hour free parking for lunch at the
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11 am-2 pm, 5-10 pm, Monday thru Sunday
Free Parking after 5 pm at the Municipal Parking Lot
407 West Franklin Street
Next to McDonald's
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121 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
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Over 75 students accepted by the N.C. School of The Arts
The UNC-Campus Y
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