As Garden State drunk driving attorneys, we understand how even a single DWI or drug DUI conviction can have a ripple effect through a person’s personal and professional life. And while drinking and driving may cause serious consequences for the average commuter, not the least of which is the complication of getting around without the use of a car for months on end, the story can be much worse for a professional driver where the loss of driving privileges can severely affect his or her ability to earn a living.
As experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyers, my legal team is well aware of the thousands of dollars that can be on the line when a motorist is facing a conviction for intoxicated driving, but as we mentioned previously, a professional truck or bus driver who loses his or her commercial driver’s license (or CDL) may be looking at a dim future, certainly in the short run. For individuals like the Essex County man who is currently under investigation for his part in the crash of two double-decker tour buses in Manhattan recently, the threat of losing one’s CDL, and hence one’s livelihood, can be nothing short of catastrophic.
According to the news articles that are popping up on the internet following the much publicized bus collision in Times Square this past Tuesday, the New Jersey man who was piloting one of the vehicles may have been high on some kind of controlled dangerous substance (CDS) at the time of the wreck. Based on reports, while there was no evidence that the bus driver had consumed alcohol prior to the collision, police did take the man into custody after he allegedly failed a field sobriety test at the scene.
The driver’s commercial license shows that he is approved to carry passengers, such as his operation of the Gray Line tour bus, as well as having received endorsements for a number of different motor vehicles, including tanker trucks, double and triple trailers, school buses and motorcycles.
While there is much to be seen as this story unfolds, the risk of this man losing his CDL could be quite high if the blood or urine tests come back positive for some kind of illicit drugs or other controlled dangerous substance, or for alcohol of any significant amount. Obviously, a professional truck or bus driver who finds himself in this kind of situations should seriously consider speaking with a qualified DWI-DUI defense lawyer to better understand his rights under the law, as well as to help in fighting any charges levied the state.
Drug probe after bus driver’s Times Square crash, MSN.com, August 5, 2014