Driving Under The Influence Has Serious Consequences

Driving under the influence of alcohol can have serious repercussions. This crime, also known as DUI for short, can have an impact on someone for the rest of their life. One state that takes the act of drunk driving very seriously is Virginia. To combat DUI in the state, Virginia law makers have passed a number of specific laws. Being educated on these laws is very important for anyone facing these charges in the state.

It is also important to have a criminal attorney represent you in court so you can avoid the worst of these penalties. Virginia drunk driving laws have very stiff penalties for first time offenders that get incrementally worse the more times a driver is arrested for the crime.

On the very first drunk driving conviction, a driver could spend a number of days in prison. If there was a minor in the vehicle, the driver will spend a minimum of five days in jail. This is also the case for drivers who are found to have a blood alcohol level of between fifteen and twenty percent. If the blood alcohol level is found to be over twenty percent, that driver will face a minimum of twenty days in jail.

The first conviction will also include a hefty fine of at least two hundred and fifty dollars. If there was a minor in the vehicle, this fine will be increased by between five hundred to one thousand dollars. Other penalties include a one year license suspension and enrollment in a drunk driving educational program. Also required will be having a device installed in the vehicle that forces a person to take a breathalyzer test before the car's engine can be started.

A second drunk driving conviction can result in even more serious penalties. If the second conviction occurred less than five years since the previous conviction, time spent in prison could last from twenty days to one year. If the conviction occurred after five years, the time in jail could last from ten days to one month.

The license suspension for a second time drunk driver will last a whopping three years. The minimum level fine will be five hundred dollars. However, an additional five hundred to one thousand dollars can be added if a minor was inside the vehicle.

Sanctions against third time offenders are even worse. If the conviction was within five years of the previous drunk driving charge, that driver will have to spend a minimum of six months in prison. If it was within ten years, the minimum sentence will be ninety days in prison.

The minimum fine leveled against a third time offender will be for one thousand dollars. The driver's license will also be suspended indefinitely. The person can petition the court for the ability to reapply for a new license, but he or she will have to wait five years after the conviction. If the driver ever receives another driver's license, a breathalyzer ignition device will have to be installed in his or her car.

Since the penalties against drunk drivers are rather stiff in Virginia, you should contact a lawyer or a criminal lawyer with experience in DUI law right away if you face charges of drunk driving in this state.