The penalties the courts can impose for driving under the influence (DUI) convictions can be relatively significant. Drivers are at risk of jail time and large fines. They also have to navigate the world with a criminal record.
It is also standard practice for the courts to suspend a driver’s license as one of the consequences of a DUI conviction. In fact, drivers are at risk of two separate types of license suspensions following a DUI arrest. People often find the license penalties confusing and may not know how to respond. What are the two types of license suspensions possible?
Drivers face administrative suspensions
The state has the authority to suspend a driver’s license even before they plead guilty or the courts convict them of a traffic offense. Either an impaired driving arrest involving a failed breath test or the refusal to submit to testing can result in an administrative license suspension.
The suspension period is longer in cases involving testing refusals. Drivers who refuse testing could lose their license for a year after the first offense and three years after a second offense. Typically, the administrative suspension is shorter than the criminal suspension after a guilty plea or conviction.
A first DUI arrest can lead to a seven-day administrative license suspension. A second DUI arrest can lead to a 60-day suspension. Those arrested for third or subsequent offenses may lose their licenses until their cases go to trial.
The courts can impose license revocation as a penalty
It is standard practice for the criminal courts to revoke a driver’s license after a DUI conviction. As with an administrative license suspension, the length of the suspension increases based on the prior offenses on a driver’s record.
A first DUI conviction results in a one-year license revocation. A second offense can lead to up to three years without driving privileges. Third offenses can result in the indefinite revocation of a driver’s license.
Those penalties all involve basic DUI charges without aggravating factors. Scenarios involving particularly high alcohol levels, crashes that result in injuries and other complicating factors can potentially result in additional criminal consequences, including longer-lasting driver’s license penalties.
Fighting back against DUI charges and administrative license suspension often requires prompt action. Motorists who know what is at risk may respond more appropriately when accused of breaking the law.