Florida’s drunk driving laws and penalties

Being educated about Florida’s drunk driving laws and associated penalties for DUI convictions can be important for anyone arrested on such charges.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving notes that felony charges can be faced for people arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Florida. This can happen if an arrest is preceded by two prior convictions within a period of 10 years. Every conviction for drunk driving in Florida can find the associated penalties harsher than the one before it.

The effects of a drunk driving conviction can be severe and last several years, making it important for people to fully understand what is at stake. The Florida State Legislature makes it clear that intoxication in the state of Florida is determined based upon the blood alcohol content of a driver. Any BAC found to be 0.08 grams per 210 liters of human breath is considered to be at an intoxicated level.

What are Florida's DUI penalties?

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, following are some of the consequences that defendants can risk when arrested for drunk driving:

• For a first conviction, a driver with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.08 percent up to 0.14 percent can pay up to $1,000 in fines and be put in jail for up to a period of six months. A driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 percent or higher will pay up to $2,000 in fines and can spend up to nine months in jail.
• For a second conviction in 10 years, a driver with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.08 percent up to 0.14 percent can pay up to $2,000 in fines and be put in jail for up to a period of nine months. A driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 percent or higher will pay up to $4,000 in fines and can spend up to 12 months in jail.
• For a third conviction in 10 years, a driver with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.08 percent up to 0.14 percent can pay fines ranging from $2,000 to $5.000. A driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 percent or higher will pay fines starting at $4,000. Jail time will vary per case with three convictions.

For a fourth conviction within 10 years, the fines start at $2,000 and go up from there. Incarceration times can be as long as five years.

What should defendants do?

Being arrested for drunk driving charges can be a scary thing. It is important for anyone in this situation to contact an experienced lawyer for help as soon as possible.

Keywords: drunk driving, DUI, penalties