Tempe DUI Laws

No one ever believes that they are going to be arrested for drunk driving in Tempe. It’s always something that happens to someone else, and naturally those people were probably asking for it. Maybe they’re habitual drunk drivers. Or they were really plastered. Whatever the case, it’s not something that could ever happen to you – until it does.

In fact, for a large number of people charged with Tempe drunk driving, it’s their first ever offense, and when they see those police lights coming up behind them or get stopped at a DUI checkpoint and told they are being arrest, they are often terrified. People’s minds start to race: Does this mean jail time? Will they have their car impounded? Lose their driver’s license? How in the world are they going to get to work so they can support their family? What is going to happen to them?

Tempe takes DUI laws seriously, so if you are charged with violating them, you’re going to face some serious consequences. That’s why it’s so important to get a qualified Tempe DUI lawyer on your team as soon as possible. The more time they have to work on your defense, the better chance you have of receiving a positive outcome. And even beyond this, a knowledgeable DUI attorney in the area can talk to you about the overall process and let you know what you’re going to face every step of the way.

What Are the DUI Laws in Tempe?

Because so many people charged with Tempe DUIs are first-timers, they often have little experience with the court system and probably don’t even have a clear idea what the DUI laws really are. One thing that’s very important to know is that a DUI in Arizona really means that you are getting two separate charges. The first is driving while impaired, and the second is having a BAC of .08 or more while driving. So when a cop pulls you over or stops you at a checkpoint and charges you with a DUI, that’s what it means.

DUI Penalties in Tempe

Just like with every other kind of Tempe crime, the penalties you face will depend on the specifics of the incident as well as other mitigating factors like how many DUI convictions you already have. People with more convictions, those who had a high BAC (over .15), or those who got into an accident will obviously face stiffer punishments.

But that doesn’t mean that first-time basic DUI penalties are light. Even if your BAC is just above the legal limit of .08, you’re going to pay $250 in fines, surcharges, and another $250 to the Arizona DUI abatement fund. You’ll be on probation for at least a year, and possibly as long as 5 years. You’ll be asked to submit to evaluation for drugs and alcohol, and may have to go to counseling. Your driver’s license will be suspended for 90 days – possibly longer! And you will go to jail for anywhere from 10 days to 6 months. Of course, if you go through counseling, most judges reduce that jail time to a single day.

Those who are charged with an extreme DUI (a BAC of over .15) willbe up against many of the same penalties, but also have to deal with a longer jail sentence that starts at 30 days (but can be reduced to 10 with counseling) and having an Ignition Interlock Device installed on their car. Both a first-time extreme DUI and a basic DUI are charged as misdemeanors, but it’s important to know that if your DUI charge involved an accident where someone was hurt or killed, or even if only property was damaged, your crime automatically becomes a felony, which has far more serious penalties.

Too many people don’t realize how serious the DUI laws are and simply agree to plead guilty because they want the nightmare to be over so they can return to their normal lives. But if you refuse to fight, you’re doing yourself a disservice that can affect your entire life. DUI charges can and have been beaten – even those where breathalyzer test results “proved” someone was drinking – and giving up means much more than taking the listed penalties. Take a conviction and you are giving yourself a criminal record that will follow you everywhere and can be seen by anyone who ever does a background check on you, including potential employers, landlords, and lenders.

Experienced Tempe DUI attorneys can help, because they are experts in their field and have proven their quality by helping people just like you.