A person who is convicted on drunk driving charges will have several penalties to face. One of these is a driver’s license suspension. When this occurs, you can’t legally drive and can face legal consequences if you opt to drive anyway. There are several things you should know about suspensions and drunk driving.
The type of drunk driving conviction you have makes a difference in what happens. Maryland law stipulates that a DWI is reserved for people who have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .07% or lower. A DUI is for anyone who has a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or higher.
On a first conviction, you can face a 6-month revocation for a DUI or DWI. On a second conviction, you face a year revocation for a DUI or nine months to a year for a DWI. Those suspension terms are only applicable for a person who can legally drink in this state. Underage convictions come with longer revocation terms.
There are several things that might impact the severity of the penalties you face. One of these is having a minor in the vehicle when you’re stopped for drunk driving. Higher blood alcohol concentration percentages can also lead to enhanced charges.
If you’re facing drunk driving charges, don’t think that they are going to go away easily. You need to start working on your defense strategy quickly so you can evaluate the options you have so you can move forward with your chosen option. Waiting too long can mean you have to make a rushed decision, and it’s possible that some options won’t be available to you.