Arizona’s Harsh DUI Penalties

It’s been a tough week at work and you stop off with friends at your local watering hole for a couple of drinks.

Or, you’re watching the big game and you need to restock your frig at half-time.

Maybe it’s Saturday night, you’re at a party, and you’re feeling invincible when you’re selected to make the next beer run.

Whatever the case may be, when you get behind the wheel after too many drinks, you not only put your life other people’s lives in danger, you run the risk of messing up your life in a pretty big way, even if you don’t get into any kind of an accident.

Arizona limits the legal blood alcohol content limit for drivers to .08. While the punishments vary widely from state to state if you’re popped for driving while over this limit, in Arizona, you’ll be facing mandatory jail time, a suspended license, and you’ll have an ignition interlock device installed on your car. You will need to hire a lawyer who specializes in DUI to keep a bad situation from getting even worse.

It should be noted that the .08 limit applies to drivers who are of legal age to drink and drive. For anyone under 21 years old, there is a zero tolerance law in place, meaning that if you are busted for having any blood alcohol content whatsoever and you are under age, you can be charged with DUI. The law was put in place because nearly one-third of all fatalities for people under 21 years old are due to motor vehicle accidents. Of these, about one-third are caused by drinking and driving.

In addition, for those drivers who have a blood alcohol content of .15 or above, they will face aggravated DUI charges resulting in enhanced penalties upon conviction.

Those penalties start with a minimum 90 day suspension of a driver’s license and can rise to up to 3 years based on subsequent DUI convictions. While vehicle confiscation will not take place, a person will be required to go through mandatory alcohol education, assessment and treatment.

Ryan Garvey Attorneys proudly serves clients in Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, Scottsdale, Mesa and surrounding Arizona communities