What are the consequences of driving under the influence?

Driving under the influence of alcohol can affect the driver’s reactions and ability to make safe decisions and accurate judgments. Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol are taken very seriously. Drink driving not only puts the driver’s life at risk but may also risk the lives of other innocent people.

If the case involves other drivers, passengers or pedestrians, the defendant may face punitive damages towards others involved or injured in the accident. A lawyer can be there for the defendant throughout the process and potentially assist in reducing the DUI consequences. Click the link for more DUI car accident information.

What Happens at the Scene of a DUI

Law enforcement will arrive at the scene of an incident to assess and document the situation. Statements will be taken from witnesses and any injured parties will be assessed and either treated on-site or taken to a hospital. Damage to vehicles will be photographed, reported and documented as evidence. If the police suspect a driver to be under the influence, they will require the driver to part take in a test to assess the level of intoxication.

Intoxication Tests

To establish the level of alcohol in a person’s system, law enforcement may use two different types of testing to assess alcohol levels in the driver’s system. The driver may be tested using one or both these tests. There are Field Sobriety Tests which are a series of physical and mental tests that would cause issues for someone to complete under the influence of alcohol.

A Preliminary Alcohol Screening Test is a breathalyzer test that can be used at the scene to measure Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). The results of these tests will give the law enforcement officer the correct evidence to arrest the driver for driving under the influence of alcohol. Once the driver has been arrested and taken to a police station, further and more in-depth testing can be carried out to assess the level of alcohol in the driver’s blood or breath.

The Results

If the driver failed the initial tests at the scene of the incident, yet the further investigatory results do not show illegal levels of alcohol in the driver’s system, the police may request a drug test via a blood or urine sample. If the driver refuses to take these tests for their primary DUI arrest, it’s possible to receive a penalty. This could consist of license suspension for up to one year, up to two days spent in a jail or an additional six months of DUI driver’s school.

The Penalties of a DUI Conviction

A DUI conviction can face serious ramifications, even if it’s the defendant’s first charge. There are various penalties ranging from a $2,000 fine, compensation to the alleged victim, to a year’s license suspension or up to six months in jail. An experienced DUI defense lawyer can be the difference between a low settlement or one given by a jury that consists of considerable penalties.

Bear all this information in mind and stay safe – the consequences can be severe.

 

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