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Drunk driving penalties are harsh in Maryland

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2019 | Drunk Driving

The penalties that you face for drunk driving are way too great for you to take the chance of trying to drive yourself home if you’ve had a couple of drinks. The goal of these laws is to keep the public protected, and they don’t leave room for any leeway.

When a police officer sees actions that indicate a person might be impaired, they initiate a traffic stop to try to determine what’s going on. During the stop, they will do a field sobriety test or a breath test. Depending on the results of these, you might be arrested. You will be asked to take a chemical test to determine how much alcohol is in your blood. Before you agree to this, you will be given an Advice of Rights form that outlines several points

If you are found to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level that’s above the legal limit of .08%, you will face the loss of your driving privileges. The officer can confiscate your driver’s license at the time of the arrest if your BAC is above the limit. You might be provided with a temporary license that’s valid for 45 days.

The penalties you face include going to jail for up to two months, having a $500 fine and having a 6-month driver’s license suspension if this is your first DUI. Subsequent offenses have higher penalties. You should learn about your rights and options immediately when you’re arrested for this crime. You only have a limited time to try to minimize the penalties that you will face via the criminal court system and the administrative sanctions.