Going out for a drink or two after a long workday is pretty common. Most people will argue that there is nothing wrong with grabbing a beer or two with your coworkers, especially at the end of a long shift. The trouble in these social drinking scenarios according to a survey is how one drink can easily lead to several more, and before a person knows it, they are above the legal drinking limit, which can obviously lead to a serious DUI arrest when a person gets into a traffic incident.
Drinking under the influence or a DUI law can vary from one state to another. In general, however, a DUI means the driver of the vehicle is being charged with a serious offense for endangering themselves and others. A DUI charge can apply to the use of alcohol as well as drugs (prescribed or recreational) that have effectively impaired a person’s capacity to operate a moving vehicle.
Any driver with a BAC that is at 0.08 percent or below BAC is still within the legal limit and should not be charged with a DUI. However, when a person’s blood alcohol content registers over 0.10 percent, this is already regarded as an extreme DUI in the state of Pennsylvania.
Those found to be guilty of the charge can face harsher penalties, which will include longer jail sentencing and penalty fees that are higher than the average DUI charge. In the event that a DUI has resulted in an accident involving vehicle damage, injuries, and property damage, the penalties are increased even more.
In most instances, a driving under the influence charge in Pennsylvania is a simple misdemeanor charge. Typically, two years is the maximum sentencing (imprisonment) for a DUI conviction. There are two factors that can enhance a sentence. They are as follows:
- The existence of prior convictions, offenses, preliminary disposition, juvenile consent decree, adjudication of delinquency, acceptance of accelerated rehabilitative disposition
- Chemical testing refusal
For individuals who have prior convictions or current dispositions in the last decade in the state of Pennsylvania or other states, these past offenses will be a consideration included in the sentencing. The existence of prior DUI convictions can place a person in a category with penalties that are stricter. Furthermore, any refusal to be subjected to a blood alcohol or breathalyzer test is punishable with additional fines and possible incarceration.
Whenever faced with a legal situation, always consult an attorney and preferably one who is experienced with serious DUI cases. With an attorney present, a person being charged with this felony can have the tests reviewed since in many instances results of these tests are found to be incorrect. An experienced DUI lawyer can help a person fight the charges, challenge the results, and also help reduce any penalties.