DUI Dangers...
Everyone loves to have a drink, but drinking or drug use and driving are a dangerous and sometimes fatal combination -- all 50 states have a legal limit of .08%, and if you're over that, the cops know. (under 21, the law is .00 - .02%)
People who are intoxicated face many legal woes. Because the laws do vary somewhat from state-to-state, you might want to check your local ordinances, but here are some penalties that are almost universal to all 50 states.
Most DUI's carry heavy fines and possible jail time. These usually start at $1,400, but can reach $3,000 - $5,000 depending on the state. In Arizona, for example, you have to serve a mandatory minimum of 10 days in jail, although 9 of them can be suspended by the court if you agree to an alcohol or drug treatment and submit to treatment. In California, 48 hours is mandatory, on the first offense!
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Court Ordered DUI Penalties
You may have to have a breathalyzer installed on your car. That is that you have to blow into a straw and if you're intoxicated, the car will not start until you are able to blow and it not show traces of alcohol at all! Most states will require this for a period of 12 to 24 months.
Also, your license may be suspended or revoked. In most states, the law is that the first offense suspends your license for 90 days, the second offense is one year, and the third offense in 7 years will result in an automatic three year revokation of your license! "Hardship licenses" while available in most states, require at least 30 days without a license and will only be given under special circumstances.
If that's not enough, some states, like Oregon and Texas, have automatic vehicle confiscation laws that impound the car and the impounding may be temporary (up to 90 days) or permanent, which is a costly proposition. This usually happens after three DUI's but may happen on the first or second, depending on the severity of the offense!
Is that strict enough for you? If not, know that many states will penalize you if a child under 15 was in the car or if any sort of injury or death occurred while you were under the influence. Make no mistake, you will spend time in jail under these circumstances. In many cases, the judge has no choice but to impose mandatory jail time sentences, due in part to the large influence by MADD.
Enhanced DUI Penalty Laws
40 U.S. states have what are called "Enhanced Penalty" laws which increase penalties dramatically for BAC's above a certain level, usually .15 to .20%. If you are over these numbers, you are such a great risk that the law has no choice but to throw the book at you.
Insurance companies are hesitant to cover a person convicted of a DUI. Your insurance rates are liable to double or triple for 3 years minimum, and you may have to have an SR-22, which shows that you have motor vehicle liability insurance. Any good driver discounts you have will be forfeited and you will have to pay much more for less coverage.
There are other penalties that the law will not tell you about. Most people sentenced to jail can't pay rent or mortgage payments and end up losing their houses or being evicted from their apartments, or lose their jobs in the process! How do you explain to a landlord or boss that you got hammered, went out and drove a car and put the lives of people you didn't even know at risk?
And let's look at the risks: In 2003, traffic accidents related for 45,000 deaths in the United States. 40% of them involved people who were intoxicated or on drugs while driving. 18,000 deaths is nearly 50 deaths per day from people who were convinced they were fine driving even though they were buzzed.
Relationships can be strained immensely between friends, loved ones and family while a DUI conviction is present. There are so many social interactions that you can miss out on, such as poker night, Valentine's Day with that special someone, or even seeing a friend that you haven't seen in months -- when you're in jail, everyone pays. The people who truly care about you know that you are a dangerous person because you're putting everyone's lives in your hands when you drive drunk.
In conclusion, when you say you need one more for the road, the last thing the road needs is one more drunk driver. Call a cab, get a ride, but do not drive while under the influence. You're betting much more than your life when you do.
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Learn About:
Drunk Driving Laws - Convictions - Fines
Court Ordered DUI/DWI Traffic Schools Classes
Online DUI/DWI Education
DUI/DWI Defence Attorney/Lawyers
DUI/DWI Laws - Penalties - Drivers License Suspensions
DUI Dangers - Offender Programs