Driving Under the Influence Laws in Washington

Driving under the influence in the state of Washington is a serious offense. Also known as DUI it is against the law in all fifty states, whereas in the state of Washington it is considered a gross misdemeanor.

When you are pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence you will be asked to take a Breathalyzer test and/or a field sobriety test. If you are over the age of twenty one then your blood alcohol content level must be below .08.

If you are under the age of twenty one then your blood alcohol content level must be below .02. This is because the legal drinking age is twenty one so if your blood alcohol content level is above .02 then you are drinking alcohol illegally which is also a crime.

There are consequences associated with being arrested for a DUI in the state of Washington. You can be convicted of the DUI if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs while you are operating a motor vehicle. If you refuse to take a Breathalyzer test or your blood alcohol level test show that your alcohol content level is over .08 then your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked. If the offense is serious enough then you will have to go to trial which could end up causing you to pay a steep fine, do community service, or without the services of a good DUI defense attorney you may even go to jail.

Every year over a million people are arrested for driving under the influence in the United States. This is a shocking statistic when you consider the fact that in Washington State alone during 2005 the state police arrested over twenty thousand people for driving under the influence.

If you have to serve jail time then you must serve at least one day. If your blood alcohol content level was over .15 then you must serve at least two days. How much jail time you have to serve depends on your offense, prior criminal record and the quality of your DUI defense attorney.

If you are a first time offender then a judge might make you wear electronic monitoring bracelet in your home. This would take the place of you having to serve jail time. You would have to be monitored anywhere from fifteen to thirty days depending on your blood alcohol content level at the time of your Breathalyzer test.

You might also be told that you have to pay a fine. The fine can range anywhere from three hundred and fifty dollars to five thousand dollars. The fine amount depends on your number of prior offenses and your blood alcohol content level.

If you refuse a Breathalyzer test then your driver’s license will be suspended for at least one year. If your blood alcohol content level was below .15 then your license is suspended for ninety days. If your blood alcohol content level was above .15 then your license is suspended for one year.

At the courts discretion you might have an ignition interlock device installed in your car as a punishment for driving under the influence. This means that you have to blow into a Breathalyzer test that is attached to the steering wheel. If your blood alcohol content level is over the limit then your steering wheel locks up and you cannot steer your car.

The last punishment for driving under the influence is alcohol treatment and counseling. This is to help you better educate yourself about the dangers and consequences of driving under the influence.

Driving under the influence is a serious offense to commit. You should not drink and drive or use drugs while operating a motor vehicle. You are not only risking your life, but you are also risking the lives of others. If you are going to drink consider getting a designated driver or a taxi to take you home. It will help protect your life and the lives of others and will cost far less in the long run.

The Seattle DUI Defense Attorneys website is here to provide you with the latest information on finding out your rights once you have been arrested for a DUI in Seattle and the greater Washington Area.