A deadly mix.

Internet pornography. Hate groups. Instructions for building bombs. Fraudulent money-making schemes. These are some of the abuses of the Internet. But one of the most outrageous -- even frightening -- abuses of the medium is by lawyers who advertise their ability to get drunk drivers off the hook.

I'm not talking about attorneys' defending people merely accused of drunk driving, but haters who brag about their ability to win not-guilty verdicts for even the most assuredly guilty drivers with high blood alcohol levels. Now, I'm sure some of you are thinking: "Everybody has a right to a fair trial, and there are probably a lot of people accused of DUI who aren't really guilty. So what's the harm of lawyers defending people accused of drunk driving?" Fundamentally, there's nothing wrong with it. It's vital that everyone have the best legal representation possible. But this new breed of online advertisement implies -- and in many cases states outright -- that it doesn't matter if you drive drunk, because these legal eagles can bail you out. In short, they are promoting the notion that it's okay to drive as drunk as you want.

Think I'm exaggerating? I'll let the lawyers words speak for themselves. Here are excerpts from actual web sites. One lawyer from San Diego boasts, "You need an aggressive attorney to keep you out of jail and who has experience in hundreds of DUI & DMV matters like yours!" His site then lists the blood alcohol content of the clients for whom he's had legal victories:

Client        BAC%         Type of Test
Backesto     .15-.16       Blood+Breath/
                        Under 21/Accident
Bonas        .15           Breath
Briggs       .16           Breath
Callaway     .09           Blood
Caster       .17           Blood
Costa        .13           Breath

To put these numbers in context, if your blood alcohol level is above .10, you are legally drunk in all states. In some states the limit is .08. But don't worry, because this lawyer insists he can successfully defend you even if your blood alcohol level is .17.

Another lawyer publishes an online newsletter for people arrested for drunk driving. Here's his pitch:

You have just been arrested and charged

with a crime. Since one of the charges is DUI,

you probably spent a few hours in jail before

they released you with a ticket ordering you

to appear in court, or you may have posted

bail .... Don't be cheated by anyone in the

process, especially yourself. Legal representation

will prepare you for success in the

court and DMV processes.

Yet another lawyer, billing himself as a "Top Gun DUI Defense Attorney," brags:

We have over 40 years combined experience

successfully representing doctors,

lawyers, professional athletes, business people,

and others accused of DUI. Some of our

recent successes include our client who was

arrested for DUI and blew .28. Another client

was arrested for his 3rd DUI and blew a .16.

Another client was arrested for DUI after an

accident and blew a .16. Another client was

arrested for DUI after an accident with

injuries and measured a .11 blood. Another

client was arrested for his 2nd DUI and blew

a .10. Still another client was arrested for her

2nd DUI and blew a .12. Five of these six

clients had their license suspension/revocation

set aside by the DMV. The bottom line

is that we successfully represent many of our

clients charged with DUI!

When should you challenge a DUI arrest? According to a Colorado lawyer, when "you don't think it's fair" (When does a defendant ever think an arrest is "fair"?) This lawyer goes on to say, "I know you're fearful about what could happen to you, but I'd like you to know that there are at least 20 different challenges that can be made to the charges you are facing.... My practice is based on the belief that you were arrested when you shouldn't have been?"

Still another attorney crows:

Where jury trials are available, success

rates for acquittal are surprisingly good....

The formula for success is to investigate

exhaustively; conduct pretrial

discovery and

motion practice aggressively;

use evidentiary

maneuvers and procedural

devices skillfully; and

present a well-conceived,

thoroughly choreographed

trial with expert

witnesses, character witnesses,

and other tried-and-true

tactics for successful defense of

criminal cases.

On one particularly "helpful" site, two lawyers hawk their book, 101 Ways to Avoid a Drunk Driving Conviction, promising to reveal "the secrets that prosecutors, judges, and other special interest groups don't want you to know?" These lawyers give advice on how to drive while intoxicated and reduce your chances of ever getting caught: `"Blend in' with traffic because studies have shown that it is significantly more difficult for police to detect an impaired driver than when your car is isolated on the highway?" In their book you also learn that:

Requiring strict proof of the testing officer's

certification can often lead to a dismissal

or a favorable "plea bargain" where some flaw

or defect in the proof of current certification

is called into question. By asking the officer

whether you can make telephone calls to an

attorney or family member prior to submitting

the official BAC tests, you may be taking

advantage of legally permissible delays

that will make your BAC tests more favorable.

Indeed, tips on how to avoid being arrested for drunk driving are part of many lawyers' web sites, all in the name of good advertising. One Georgia attorney writes, "Don't tempt fate. Before leaving a bar parking lot, check to see if there are any cops in the area. If so, wait until the cops follow another person from the lot, and then leave?"

What about suggesting that drivers simply abstain from driving after drinking? No. Instead the advice focuses on not getting caught. There's even a "Drunk Driving Defense Network" and "National College for Drunk Driving Defense" on the Internet. The National College site, designed for lawyers, also teaches habitual drunk drivers how to avoid being stopped for DUI. Some lawyers place the blame for drunk driving on the government. One attorney writes, "The crime of drunk driving occurs only when the person's blood-alcohol level has exceeded the arbitrary numerical standard set by the state"

It's not surprising that lawyers aggressively pursue drunk driving clients. Each year, nearly 2 million drivers are charged with driving under the influence, making drunk driving the single most common criminal offense in the country. That's a lot of potential business. "Call now for a free consultation," urges one Florida lawyer.

More than just "smart business," however, this kind of advertising makes it easier for drivers to believe, "Well, if I'm caught driving drunk, a good lawyer can get me off?." Bottom line: These lawyers are encouraging people to drive drunk.

There's something terribly wrong here. Each year more than 17,000 people are killed by drunk drivers, and hundreds of thousands more are injured. Drunk drivers cause 41 percent of all fatal crashes. Ethically, there's no difference between lawyers soliciting to get drunk drivers off the hook and advertising along the lines off "Accused of Murder? Call John Q. Smith, attorney. We have a 75 percent acquittal rate!" Drunk driving is something society should be working together to stop. Lawyers shouldn't be promoting ways to get offenders off the hook just to make an easy buck.