Punishments And Penalties for DUI/DWI

No crime goes unpunished. No other crime in the US gets more offenders behind bars than Driving Under the Influence or Driving While Intoxicated offenses. Laws per state vary but they all agree that offenders will be penalized just to set a good example or to really avoid accidents caused by irresponsible drivers.

Below are the forms of punishments for DUI/DWI:

1. Imprisonment. DUI/DWI is a misdemeanor that warrants an offender six months in jail. This could be increased depending on the state where the ruling was made. For example, some states would severely punish the offender if he or she had a very high alcohol level during the time of arrest. Other state would consider this demeanor mild so they would put the offender on jail only for several days. But if it’s a felony because the driver killed or severely injured a person or severely damaged a property, years in jail time is expected.

2. Fines. This ranges from $500 to $2,000.

3. Suspension of driver’s license for a period of time. Again, this varies per state. One state may suspend a license for a year for every first offender and gradually increase it for the next time the offender once again repeated the offence.

4. Cancel car registration. Some states make sure the offender won’t be able to repeat his or her offence that’s why they make sure the offender does not get back to the road.

5. Alcohol prevention program. A lot of states require offenders to get help or attend programs that would help them solve their alcoholic or susbstance abuse.

6. Cancellation of insurance policy or drastic increae of insurance rate.

7. Laid-off from current employment.

Overall, the entire country is working hard to suppress irresponsible driving to minimize the rate of car related accidents.