Beat Breathalyzer

Being arrested on a DUI charge is certainly not going to make anyone’s bucket list, but some places are a bit worse than others to find yourself facing a DUI legal case.

Arizona laws are quite stringent when it comes to cases of DUI. In 2009 alone, Arizona made 14,000 arrests for DUI. And that number was up from the year before.

If you are arrested in Arizona for a DUI, you will need a Phoenix, Arizona DUI lawyer to help you with your case. Why? Because you could be looking at some stiff penalties.

The consequences for a DUI arrest in Arizona hinge on whether or not this is your first offense. If you have had a DUI arrest in the last seven years, then this is not your first offense.

Your blood alcohol level at the time of arrest greatly impacts your case. If your blood alcohol is.08, you are looking at a minimum of ten days in jail. But you could be looking at 180 days. Your fines start at $1800, but increase with your jail time as you pay the costs for your jail stay.

You can say goodbye to your license for 90 days. It is possible to get a permit to travel to and from work or school after the first 30 days of suspension.

Substance abuse counseling is a mandate, not an option. If you do not comply with the recommendations from counseling, you are looking at increased jail time.

Your probation will last up to five years. Expect Community Service and you will likely be sentenced to attend at least one Impact Panel with M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).

Additionally, you will get an ignition interlock device on your car for a minimum of twelve months. This is a breathalyzer on your car that you must blow into in order to drive. If your blood alcohol level is above the programmed limits, your car’s ignition locks. Once your car does start, you will have to blow into the breathalyzer periodically. Failure to blow a clean sample into the machine will initiate alarms forcing the driver to either provide a clean sample or pull over and turn off the car.

If it is your second offense with a blood alcohol level of.08, then you can expect stiffer penalties. And an increase in blood alcohol levels means an increase in penalties. For example, a first offense with blood alcohol level of.15 is a minimum of thirty days in jail. You could spent up to 180 in jail. Your fines increase to a minimum of $3,000 and the bad news just gets worse from there.

When you are shopping for a lawyer, you need to find someone who has the experience you need to help you with your case. A lawyer who specializes in DUI is the better choice, since they are intimately familiar with the laws and fines associated with a DUI charge. Your case could go to trial and in that case, your expert Phoenix, Arizona DUI lawyer will make or break your future. A successful, DUI lawyer will help argue you out of heftier fines and penalties.

Seek out a Phoenix, Arizona DUI lawyer who has demonstrated success in the courtroom and who really cares about your case. Also, don’t forget to talk finances with your lawyer. That’s an important piece of the puzzle.

Some drivers try to avoid a DUI charge by refusing to submit to the breathalyzer test, which must be performed within two hours of your arrest. Doing so automatically means your license will be suspended.

A DUI arrest in Arizona means you can automatically lose your insurance coverage. At minimum, you will pay exorbitant insurance rates. If your insurance company drops you, you may have difficulty finding another insurer. You must have insurance to have your license reinstated.

Driving while under the influence is dangerous. In Arizona, 39% of the fatalities in 2006 were alcohol-related. Thirty-two percent of the total fatalities were due to drivers with a.08% blood alcohol level. Arizona’s alcohol-related fatality numbers are dropping annually, due to their war on DUIs.

The best thing to do is avoid needing a Phoenix, Arizona DUI lawyer.

If you have had too much to drink, please call for a taxi or call a friend to drive you home. Sure, taxis are expensive, but they beat the cost of a DUI arrest. You may lose face with your friend, but that’s certainly better than losing your clean arrest record-or adding to an existing record.

Some taxi companies have special programs to help drivers avoid driving drunk. They will take you home at a discount and the next day, they will drive back and return you to your car-at no cost.

There are avenues out there to avoid a DUI charge.

Originally published here.