The Fifth Column 

Which States House the Harshest Laws on Alcohol?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk driving is responsible for a third of all fatalities that occur in road accidents. In a bid to reduce the number of deaths which occur as a result of drunken driving, different states have come up with DUI and DWI laws and corresponding penalties. There are some states which are seen to have very tough laws and high conviction rates, while others have less stringent regulations and lower conviction rates.

 

Arizona

The state of Arizona is ranked to have the strictest laws on drunk driving. If you are convicted of drunk driving in Arizona, and it is a first-time offense, you will spend a minimum of ten days in jail. For a second offense, you will get at least three months, and if you offend a third time, it becomes an automatic felony. If you have had older DUI’s and are caught in the offense again, your jail time could go up to seven years in this state. Also, your license will be suspended for at least three months.

 

Georgia

Georgia ranks as the second when it comes to harsh DUI laws. The toughest part of Georgia’s DUI laws is that if you are convicted, your driving license is suspended for a whole year. If you have older DUI’s on record at the time of a new arrest, your jail time could go up to ten years. Second and third-time offenders get at least three months of jail time for DUI in Georgia.

 

Alaska

Alaska is the third state with the strictest DWI laws. If you are convicted for the first time, you will spend at least three days in jail. You will be charged with an automatic felony if you are a third-time offender. Older DUI convictions could escalate your current sentence by up to ten years.

Texas

Another state with strict penalties is Texas. In this state it is a crime to have an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of your vehicle if you’re driving or parked on a public highway. DWI and similar crimes result in harsher penalties. You’ll face large fines, license suspension or even community service. According to a DWI lawyer in Georgetown, you could even face jail time for a 1st offense.

These are a few of the states with the strictest laws on DWI. As soon as you have been arrested for the offense, you should think about hiring a competent DWI lawyer. When you have an expert working on your case, they will examine the circumstances surrounding your arrest and try to find a way out for you. If they cannot, they will get at least bargain and get you a lenient sentence.

Related posts

%d bloggers like this: