Possible Penalties In The Event You’re Involved In A DUI Incident

A recent crash involved a Burlington man who seriously injured someone and became arrested for driving under the influence is another strong and unfortunate reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence. It is also a reason to revisit why you would need an experienced New Haven DUI defense attorney to protect your long-term interests if you are ever involved in a collision or arrested for driving under the influence.

It is never OK to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Not only is this behavior against the law, but it can be deadly to you or other drivers that you are sharing the road with. Under no circumstances should you get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you have been drinking or doing drugs of any kind. In the event that you are under the influence you should immediately decide to either stay where you are until you are sober or utilize a ride share to get yourself home and back when you have sobered up.

In the event that you do not heed the warnings to remain sober when you’re behind the wheel you could be in for some serious legal action that could cause you to pay hefty fines, spend time in jail and even lose your license for a period of time. So, if the threat of injury or property damage isn’t enough, it’s important that you understand what kinds of penalties you might be facing if you break the law and drive while under the influence.

After your 1st offense: Penalties for your first instance of driving under the influence may include, but are not limited to the following;

• A fine of up to $1000
• A mandatory minimum jail sentence of 48 hours which could increase to 6 months depending on the circumstances
• You can have your licenses suspended for 45 days and be required to use an ignition interlock device for a year
• You must participate in a DUI education program

After your 2nd offense: Following your second DUI offense you may be facing the following penalties;

• A financial penalty of up to $2,000
• 10 days in jail, is the mandatory minimum, but you could be facing up to 1 year in jail
• Your drivers license may be suspended for 1 year and you will be required to use an ignition interlock device for a 2 year period of time
• You will be required to participate in a DUI education and substance abuse treatment program

After your 3rd offense: If you get to the point where you are cited for your 3rd offense of driving under the influence you may face penalties that include, but are not limited to the following;

• A fine of up to $5000
• A minimum of 30 days in jail with a maximum of 2 years behind bars
• 3 years of a suspended drivers license and a lifetime of using an ignition interlock device
• Mandatory education programs including DUI education, substance abuse treatment and a driver intervention program

These are the baseline penalties based on whether you are being charged with DUI after your first, second or third offense, but there is no guarantee where your penalties will land. The penalties that you may face will be based on the circumstances of your offense and it is important to know your rights as well. If you are facing a situation like this you may need an experienced New Haven DUI defense attorney to work with you to protect your long-term interests. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will review your situation.