If you are facing DUI charges, it is nothing to mess around with. The state has a number of consequences in place that can affect your life for quite a while.
There are a couple of ways that a person can violate the state’s DUI laws, and a DUI conviction comes with criminal and license penalties.
DUI laws
According to FindLaw, a person faces arrest for driving under the influence if the blood alcohol content is .08 or higher. For commercial drivers, the limit for BAC is .04 or higher. This is a DUI “per se.”
The other way to get a DUI is if a law enforcement officer suspects you are under the influence and you fail the field sobriety tests, even if your BAC is lower than .08. This means there is a potential for a DUI no matter how much you have to drink.
Penalties for a DUI
A person with a DUI faces a variety of penalties, and they are more severe with multiple convictions or when the BAC is .15 or higher. One penalty is driver’s license suspension or revocation. If the individual refuses one of the sobriety tests, there is an automatic one-year suspension.
Criminal penalties may include fines, jail time and community service. According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, a person with a DUI must also attend DUI school. This includes a clinical evaluation and the completion of the alcohol program the assessor determines. Not only does the individual need to pay for this school, but there is a strict attendance requirement, and missing classes may mean that the person needs to retake and repay for the program.