What Determines a DUI and What Happens Next?

We all make mistakes. Some mistakes are worse than others. Drunk or impaired driving is never acceptable, but it does occur. If the arresting officer has reason to believe the driver is too impaired to continue to drive, they can charge the driver with a DUI.

Before an officer pulls over a driver on the suspicions of DUI, they are already making their case. The officer will observe the driving patterns of the driver. The officer is looking for swerving, speeding up and slowing down recklessly, and many other factors. Once the officer pulls the vehicle over they will use their senses to better help determine if the driver is impaired. They can smell alcohol on your breath, look for visible open alcohol containers in the vehicle, and observe the speech of the driver. After the observations, if the officer still feels the driver is impaired, they will ask the driver to step out of the vehicle and perform a field sobriety test.

The legal limit of blood-alcohol concentration is .08%. If a driver’s blood alcohol concentration is above .08% they will be charged with a DUI. However, blood alcohol concentration isn’t the only factor that determines impaired, or drunk, driving. If the driver fails a field sobriety test or shows any signs of impaired driving, but has a blood alcohol level below the legal limit of .08%, they can still be arrested for DUI.

If the driver fails the field sobriety test and receives a DUI, what happens next? If you are convicted or plead guilty, you can lose your driver’s license and expect to pay hefty fines and court fees. After you get your license back you

will need SR-22 insurance. This insurance will have higher premiums than standard insurance. You may also be required to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle. This device will require the driver to blow into it to determine they are not impaired before the car will start.

The bottom line is driving while impaired or drunk is a very time consuming and expensive ordeal. It is 100% avoidable! Even if you decide to only have 1 or 2 drinks, it is safer to call a taxi, Uber, or Lyft driver! Keep yourself and families around you safe by not drinking and driving!

At Eric Johnson Insurance, we specialize in high-risk drivers and are committed to getting you on the road with an insurance policy that meets every criterion you need! Whether you are looking for an affordable policy or need to file an SR22, you won’t find anyone better than us. Contact us to find out how we can help you!  (253) 273-7064 / (916) 918-5045 Eric@ewjinsurance.com

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/dui-vs-dwi-what-is-the-difference-67214

https://www.duiprocess.com/state/WA/duilaws.php