Submit your Criminal Law claim details for a free, no obligation case review.
Get Started:
Drunk driving offences are the most frequently committed crimes in our nation, killing someone every thirty minutes. Drunk driving offences kill more than 17,000 and injure 500,000 people each year on our nation''s roadways. Approximately forty one percent of all motor vehicle accidents involve alcohol. The majority of US citizens consider drunk driving a significant threat to the safety and well being of society. Approximately three of every ten people in the United States will be involved in a drunk driving incident at some point in their lives.
Drunk driving offences are charged as felonies or misdemeanors depending on the circumstances involved. The specific crime that is committed in drunk driving offences is known as a DUI or DWI. A DUI is driving under the influence and a DWI is driving while intoxicated. Each state creates and implements their own laws governing drunk driving offences.
In all states it is a crime to drive with a 0.08 or greater blood alcohol concentration or BAC. Under zero tolerance laws, it is unlawful for a minor (under the age of 21) to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of any amount of alcohol or drugs, regardless of whether or not they are deemed legally impaired.
Drunk driving offences receive a much harsher punishment if a person has a prior drunk driving conviction. Harsher penalties for drunk driving offences are also applicable in situations where a driver refused to submit to chemical testing, had a relatively high blood alcohol concentration, caused injuries or damage in a drunk driving accident or any number of other compounding factors.
Punishments for drunk driving offences depend on the state and circumstances under which the DUI occurred. The criminal penalties for drunk driving offences can include jail time, probation, fines, restitution, mandatory drug/alcohol program attendance, DUI school, and more. The department of motor vehicles also punishes people with drunk driving offences. The department of motor vehicles may suspend, restrict or revoke a person''s driver''s license. Repeat drunk driving offences may lead to the seizure of a person''s vehicle.
Drunk driving offences are reported on a person''s criminal record permanently and on department of motor vehicle records for years. This can have a negative affect on person seeking insurance, employment, professional licensing, higher education, and other opportunities. Drunk driving offences carry serious penalties in every US state, though the laws vary from place to place. For this reason, it can be important to seek the legal advice of an attorney in your area who knows the laws applicable in your case.
If you have been charged with drunk driving offences, you may wish to contact a qualified attorney who can advise you of your legal rights and options in case. A competent lawyer can help protect and maximize your interests in a drunk driving case.
A woman who was recently charged with a DUI has taken action and filed a lawsuit against city of Gulfport and the police officer who arrested her.
The woman claims she was accused of drunk dri...
A Kennebec County jury has acquitted a woman charged with operating under the influence (OUI) after determining that she broke the law to avoid sexual assault.
“The law says you can break the OUI law if it’s necessary to avoid immi...
The governor of Connecticut wants to crackdown on underage drinking with a proposal that would mandate substance abuse counseling and a minimum year-long license suspension for teens convicted of » Read More