Consequences of Driving Under the Influence in Connecticut

 Posted on May 07, 2018 in Driving Under the Influence

Drunk driving is a serious problem in Connecticut’s Fairfield County. According to a 2017 study conducted by 24/7 Wall St., more than one in five adults drinks excessively in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area. Such drinking habits likely contribute to the fact that more than one-third of the area’s roadway fatalities involve alcohol, which is higher than both the state and national average.

It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle in Connecticut with an elevated blood alcohol content. The limit is 0.08%, except for commercial truck drivers, whose limit is 0.04%. A DUI conviction carries the following types of penalties:

1. Jail time. First offenders may spend up to six months in jail. Offenders convicted for a second time within a 10-year period face jail time up to two years. A third or subsequent offense means up to three years in prison.

2. Fines. The first DUI offense carries a $500 to $1,000 fine. The second DUI offense carries a fine between $1,000 and $4,000. And a third or subsequent conviction carries a fine between $2,000 and $8,000.

3. Community service. Instead of receiving jail time, first offenders may be placed on probation and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. Second-time and third-time offenders may be placed on probation after their prison sentence and also be ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

4. Alcohol and drug treatment. Offenders convicted for a second, third or subsequent DUI offense may be required to undergo a substance abuse assessment and treatment program.

5. Driver’s license suspension and ignition interlock device. The state may suspend a first offender’s license for 45 days and make installing an ignition interlock device in their car a condition of getting the license back (it must be installed for a one-year period). A second-time offender may also lose their license for 45 days and have an ignition interlock device installed in their car. But the device must be installed for three years, and during the first year, the offender may only drive to certain locations, such as school, work, and substance abuse treatment. The state may permanently revoke a driver’s license after a third DUI offense. If that revocation is reversed or reduced, he would also have to drive a vehicle equipped with an interlock ignition device.

An experienced DUI defense attorney can explain these consequences and mount an effective defense on your behalf.

Contact Us Today for Assistance

A DUI is a serious offense in Connecticut, especially if you are a repeat offender. That is why you need an experienced DUI defense attorney on your side. Contact the experienced Stamford DUI attorneys at the Law Offices of Daniel P. Weiner today for a consultation.

Sources:

https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Report-Connecticut-s-drunkest-metro-12374969.php

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/pub/chap_248.htm#sec_14-227