Penalties For Drunk Driving

DUI first offense and penalties for drunk driving Author: MAryAnn Bozek You have just been caught and charged with a DUI, driving under the influence or DWI, driving while intoxicated. This is a serious matter and not something you should disregard. The outcome can affect your future in many way...





In the USA...penalties for drunk driving vary from state to state ...

DUI first offense and penalties for drunk driving

Author: MAryAnn Bozek

You have just been caught and charged with a DUI, driving under the influence or DWI, driving while intoxicated. This is a serious matter and not something you should disregard. The outcome can affect your future in many ways since there a variety of penalties for drunk driving. As a DUI offender, You could end up facing significant penalties including heavy fines, community service and even jail time. Additionally, your license may be suspended and if anyone was injured in an accident you could face a criminal conviction. Your future plans could be gravely affected regarding employment opportunities, applying for a loan or higher education and more. An experienced DUI attorney can make all the difference helping you through the legal system to achieve the best possible results.

Once you have been arrested for DUI, the DMV in California will suspend your license. The DMV calls this DUI first offense an administrative per se hearing (APS). You then have ten days to request an administrative hearing with the DMV. If you are not granted a hearing or you cannot make the hearing date, the DMV will keep your license and move ahead with suspension of your driving privileges. This is an automatic stipulation.

You can be charged with 2 different crimes. The standard offense is "driving under the influence of alcohol" (DUI), or in some states, "operating while intoxicated" (OWI), or "driving while intoxicated" (DWI). In recent years, 49 states have also enacted a second, so-called "per se" offense: driving with an excessive blood-alcohol concentration, also known as BAC, (either .08% a€" as in California a€" or .10%). In those states, both offenses are charged. The defendant can even be convicted of both, but can be punished for only one.

If the case involves a refusal to submit to chemical testing, of course,

only the traditional offense will be charged.

In the California courts, in addition to a possible administrative hearing that goes over the circumstances involved in your CA DUI / DWI arrest, you must go to court where a judge will decide your fate. Often, it is strictly based on your blood alcohol level or refusal to give to a breath test.

If you're found guilty, most courts will:

a€¢ Impose Fines and Some Add On an extra Driver Responsibility Tax
a€¢ Suspend or Revoke Your License
a€¢ Want Participation in a Drunk Driver Education Program
a€¢ Add Points to Your License (Your Insurance Will Most Likely Increase)
a€¢ Need Community Service Work
a€¢ Put You On Parole
a€¢ Install an Ignition Interlock Device On Your Vehicle

There are many different defenses in a criminal DUI case. An

experienced DUI lawyer in Los Angeles will give you the best chance of fighting

and winning the case.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/dui-first-offense-and-penalties-for-drunk-driving-3147924.html

About the Author

http://www.iwin4you.com


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10 Responses to “Penalties For Drunk Driving”

  1. linz says:

    what do people think about the drunk driving penalties in other countries below?
    Drunk Driving Penalties in other Countries

    Australia:
    The names of the drivers are sent to the local newspapers and are printed under the heading “He’s Drunk and in Jail”.
    ——————————————————————————–
    Malaysia:
    The Driver is jailed and if married, his wife is jailed too.
    ——————————————————————————–
    South Africa
    A 10 year prison sentence and the equivalent of a $10,000.00 fine
    ——————————————————————————–
    Turkey
    Drunk drivers are taken 20 miles outside of town by police and are forced to walk back under escort
    ——————————————————————————–
    Norway
    Three weeks in jail at hard labor, one year loss of license. Second offense within five years, license revoked for life.
    ——————————————————————————–
    Finland & Sweden
    Automatic jail for one year of hard labor
    ——————————————————————————–
    Costa Rica
    Police remove plates fron car
    ——————————————————————————–
    Russia
    License revoked for life
    ——————————————————————————–
    England
    One year suspension and a $250.00 fine and jail for one year
    ——————————————————————————–
    France
    Three year loss of license, one year in jail and a $1000.00 fine
    ——————————————————————————–
    Poland
    Jail, fine and forced to attend political lectures
    ——————————————————————————–
    Bulgaria
    A second conviction results in execution
    ——————————————————————————–
    El Salvador
    Your first offense is your last—execution by firing squad
    I bet they don’t get alot of dui’s in any of these countries!
    I’m not saying that the US doesn’t take drunk driving seriously. I just wanted to hear people’s opinions on what other countries do. I don’t agree with them personally…
    It was a handout I received at a drug/alcohol class I attended.

  2. Dog Lover says:

    You must remember one thing we have that those countries do not. The Constitution and Bill Of Rights.

    We in America are afforded due process and are not subject to Cruel and Unusual Punishment.

    While DUI is a problem and many people are killed or injured in crashes, I do not think that execution is a valid deterrent. Execution is for capitol crimes and is punishment and retribution for the victims. It is not an effective deterrent.

    And just so you know. It is not taken lightly in the USA. A first offense is going to literally cost you several thousand dollars. Your license is suspended from 6 months to a year. Your insurance will double. You have to pay fees and file SR22′s every year for at least three years. And the conviction goes on your criminal record.

  3. Sam says:

    Should there be tiered penalties for drunk driving?
    Like instead of treating the person who had a beer or two too many and blows a point .09 on the way home from a party the same as some drunk who blows three times the legal limit at 11am, you would instead have staggered penalties that got progressively worse.

  4. DrinkingAndDriving.Org President says:

    The limit of .08 is not based on anecdotal evidence. It is based on the results of many studies with thousands of test subjects. There is a very specific reason that .08 is the cutoff. That is because at a .08, the effects impact driving. It doesn’t matter if ‘some guy we know’ can drink a six-pack and do parkour without faceplanting. That’s anecdotal. For the mass majority of humans, .08 is too high for driving.

    As for tiering the penalties, that sort of takes care of itself. Most people who blow 3 times the legal limit at 11am get arrested for more than just weaving. Usually, they have hit somebody or something. Sometimes they will fight with the arresting officer. Lack of cooperation tends to kick in at these higher BAC rates.

    That said, there *is* some tiering in some states. Ever heard of an “aggravated DUI”? Blowing twice the legal limit in many states WILL yield stiffer penalties.

  5. Pete T says:

    Depends whether or not you are able to stay on the camel.

  6. God answers all questions says:

    Judge not and you will not be judged; do not condemn and pronounce guilty, and you will not be condemned and pronounced guilty; acquit and forgive and you will be acquitted and forgiven.

  7. USA Pride says:

    What are the penalties for drunk driving in Israel?
    if you could post the link of a website with the information that would be great. If not it’s fine. Thanks!

  8. SASSYGAL says:

    Drunk driving penalties in Virginia?
    My best friend was killed yesterday by a drunk driver in Warrenton, VA.
    What are the penalties for this?

  9. cupcakelove says:

    What r the penalties for drunk driving (1st and 2nd offenses in 5 other countries 10 points first best answer?
    about how much total money will a person be convicted of a 1st time DUI spend in penalties/fees/etc.
    I need the penalties of drunk driving in 5 other countries.

  10. Joan Sandverysmart says:

    Either Manslaughter, or straight jail for
    DUI, involving the death of another person.
    He will definitely be sentenced to a long
    time in prison, I am sorry to hear of your
    friend’s death.

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