Related Sponsors

What Can Happen if I am Caught Drinking and Driving?

Home » General Law » Drunk Driving » What Can Happen if I am Caught Drinking and Driving?

Did you know that over one million individuals are arrested each year for driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages? Many drivers wonder exactly how much they can consume before being declared drunk or in risk of receiving a DUI. The exact amount of alcohol you consume or the particular beverage chosen does not determine impairment. Impairment is determined by a test that registers the amount of alcohol ingested in your body over a specific period of time. You don't even have to be physically operating a motorized vehicle to be convicted of a DUI. In fact, if you have some type of control of the vehicle; such as intending on operating it, or even holding the keys, you could be arrested. Drinking and driving has become a huge concern and law enforcement agencies have really begun to crack down on those individuals that choose to disobey the law.

Citizens are arrested everyday for driving while under the influence of alcoholic beverages, and the punishment for this crime has become more and more severe throughout the years. Many states have now lowered the legal blood alcohol concentration limit (that can be determined by blood tests) from .10 to .08 percent for adults above the age of twenty one. This makes it more difficult for individuals driving under the influence of alcohol to pass a test without receiving a DUI or DWI. All states have declared twenty-one as the legal drinking age and two-thirds of the states have passed the ALR. (Administrative License Revocation) This law gives the arresting officer the authority to confiscate the license of a driver who fails or refuses to take a breath test. Because of the increase in alcohol related accidents, deaths cause by drivers under the influence, underage drinking, and organizations rising up against drunk driving, the penalties have increased a great deal. The exact laws and consequences for drunk driving differ from state to state, but most result in license suspension, fines, required treatment, and even jail time. The penalties for repeat offenders have become quite strict and may require these lawbreakers to serve a longer jail time, permanently lose their license, attend educational classes, pay higher fines, lose their voting rights, as well as many other consequences. Basically, states, interested organizations, and the law enforcement are making it extremely difficult for those that choose to disobey the law and are teaching citizens that drunk driving will not be tolerated.

Next Page: Where Can I Get Help?

Related Drunk Driving Articles