Getting a DUI and a Car Breathalyzer Installed

Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal in all states in the United States, therefore, making sure that you are not driving while intoxicated is a must. Alcohol-related car fatalities are higher in the US than they are in any other country and they account for over half of all vehicle accidents that take place. For those drivers that have a high alcohol level while driving, you can expect drinking and driving jail time as well as the potential for having your license suspended or even taken entirely until you complete the correct training.

A DUI lawyer can tell you that driving while under the influence can cause you to have to go to jail and to lose driving privileges. Driving under DUI suspension can lead to jail time and can lead to further problems for the driver. Not only is driving under the influence dangerous for you and your ability to drive in the future, but it’s dangerous for everyone else on the road, as well. It is always helpful to take the time to learn what your state’s alcohol threshold is.

Many millions of Americans own a valid driver’s license – a majority of the entire population. The United States is known as being a car-loving nation, and the nation’s roads are busy with countless trucks and personal sedans. Most of these drivers are safe and responsible about how they drive, but there are also many incidents of impaired drivers as well, and there are consequences. Drinking and driving may result in a driver getting a DUI, and this may lead to various penalties ranging from jail or prison time to heavy fines, suspension of one’s license, or having an ignition interlock device installed in the car (car breathalyzer prices will be added to that, too). Although car breathalyzer prices may vary, a court may decide that it’s worthwhile to install these breath-testers and ignition interlock devices in vehicles, and car breathalyzer prices may help cover that. What is there to know about car breathalyzer prices and drunk driving today?

Driving Drunk

Many thousands of Americans drive drunk every single day, and only a fraction of them actually end up being pulled over and arrested for this act. Legally speaking, a driver is driving drunk when they are operating a motor vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.08% or higher, though some American states are known to have a threshold even lower than that. A police office may spot a drunk driver due to their erratic and sloppy driving and thus pull them over. Some Americans mistakenly believe that its is acceptable to drive “buzzed” instead, or lightly inebriated. However, driving buzzed is certainly dangerous too, and may result in a DUI or similar charges all the same.

A drunk driver is dangerous because that driver’s coordination, judgment, and reflexes are all impaired, and this makes them sloppy and erratic and thus more likely to strike other cars, property, or pedestrians. Such drivers may also speed and drive recklessly, and speed right through red lights or stop signs. Many drunk drivers end up getting someone injured or even killed, which may include themselves. And it may also be noted that driving drunk is a serious crime in itself, even if the drunk driver never actually hit anything or anyone. When someone is facing DUI charges by their home county or state’s court, they may pursue some options.

Dealing With DUI Charges

Each DUI case may be different, and there are no guarantees on how a case may turn out. Some trends, however, may suggest that a first-time offender may get a relatively light penalty compared to a repeat offender, and if no property or lives were damaged or lost in the incident, that might work in the offender’s favor as well (but nothing is being guaranteed here). When facing a DUI charge, the offender may turn to local criminal defense law firms, which do exactly that: provide lawyers who represent clients who are facing various criminal charges. Drunk driving cases are common, and some law firms may specialize in them. An offender may look up such law firms online and call them or visit in person, to get a consultation with the attorneys who work there (this may or may not incur a fee). The offender may then hire a lawyer of their choosing.

Having legal representation may help an offender’s case when they go to court, and this lawyer may argue on their client’s behalf for a lighter sentence, or to have some charges changed to milder ones or perhaps dropped entirely. If enough factors work in the offender’s favor, a criminal defense lawyer may convince the court to trade jail time or a license suspension in favor of having an ignition interlock device and breathalyzer installed in the convict’s car or pickup truck. In this way, the offender maintains their mobility by driving, but they must prove themselves alcohol-free by submitting breath samples to the breathalyzer. Passing the test allows the driver to turn on the ignition, but a failing sample means that the interlock device prevents the engine’s ignition. The driver may submit additional samples during driving, and they’ll get ample warning from the machine so that they can pull over safely and submit new breath samples. This may be an effective compromise for all parties.