In every U.S. state, the legal limit for drinking and driving is a blood alcohol content of less than 0.08%. Los Angeles saw checkpoints throughout the county over this holiday weekend. It may come as a surprise to learn that the 4th of July is one of the deadliest holidays in the U.S. One of the reasons for this is that the festivities begin during the day and extend late into the evening. According to Wendy Brewer of theAvoid the 100 DUI Campaign, this effort will not stop just because Independence Day has passed. Many people are taking the rest of the week off work and so there is still the likelihood of more drunk driving being on the roads.
In California, the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol can have devastating effect on the individual. In order to avoid these penalties from ruining your life, you need to fight these accusations. The penalties you could be facing will vary based on whether it is a first, second, or third offense. For a first offense, the driver could be put on probation for up to five years, sent to jail for six months, and required to pay up to $1,000 in fines.
A second conviction of driving under the influence could lead to a two year driver’s license suspension as well as attending an alcohol abuse program. A third offense could cause you to be designated as a habitual traffic offender and the fines could increase to $3,000. Not only that, but you could be required to install an ignition interlock device into your vehicle. If you have more questions regarding this offense, please do not hesitate to contact our team at Martinian & Associates Inc.
