If you have been arrested for DUI in Falls Township, PA, you know how traumatic the experience can be. In Pennsylvania, there are three levels of DUI:
- General impairment is 0.08 percent BAC to 0.099% BAC (blood alcohol content);
- High BAC is 0.10% BAC to 0.159% BAC; and,
- Highest BAC is 0.16% and higher.
If you are under the age of 21, you cannot have more than 0.02% BAC if you are operating a motor vehicle.
The DUI laws in Pennsylvania are strict and the penalties and fines for DUI are steep. If you have been charged with a DUI in Falls Township, PA contact Mckenzie Law Firm, P.C. at (610) 680-7842 for legal assistance.
DUI Penalties and Fines in Pennsylvania
According to PA § 3802., if your BAC was at least 0.08 but less than 0.10, you may face:
- A six-months probation
- $300 fine
If this was your second offense, you may face:
- Five days to six months in jail
- $300 to $2,500 fine
- License suspension of up to 12 months
If this was your third offense, you may face:
- Ten days to two years in jail
- $500 to $5,000 fine
- License suspension of up to 12 months
The higher your BAC is, the higher the penalties and jail time. If your offense goes from a misdemeanor to a felony, you may face one to five years in jail, up to $10,000 in fines, and a license suspension for up to eighteen months. Falls Township, PA drivers who are arrested for a DUI must submit to a breath or blood test. If you refuse to do so, you may face a twelve-month license suspension and a $500 license reinstatement fee. Any driver who has had their license suspended for a DUI conviction must get a special ignition switch installed in their car that prevents them from operating the vehicle if they have been drinking.
Accelerate Rehabilitative Disposition
Pennsylvania has adopted a program that reduces the consequences of getting a DUI. It is only available if you have no prior DUIs in the last ten years, and the most recent arrest by the Falls Township police did not involve any minors under the age of fourteen or any injuries to the drivers and passengers of another car. If you are approved for the program, you will be required to complete:
- An alcohol highway safety school program;
- An alcohol and drug evaluation;
- Any recommended treatment if your BAC was 0.16 or more; and,
- Six to twelve months of court supervision.
Call McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. at (610) 680-7842 for a free case evaluation.
For a free legal consultation with a dui lawyer serving Falls Township, call (610) 680-7842
The 2019 Pennsylvania DUI Laws
Pennsylvania has made their DUI laws stricter and more prohibitive this year. There are new classifications and increased penalties for some DUI convictions, including:
- A new felony classification if you are convicted of a third-offense DUI if your BAC was 0.16 or over.
- If you killed someone as a result of being intoxicated, you can be convicted of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence and may face five years in prison if you have one prior conviction on your record. If you have two prior convictions, you may face a minimum of seven years in prison.
- Increased penalties for driving with a DUI license suspension including a $1,000 fine and a minimum of ninety days in jail.
Defenses to DUI Charges
DUI defense attorneys are aware of several viable defenses that may help you minimize your penalties and fines, or possibly have your charges dismissed. They include:
- If you can prove that you had no other option because what you wanted to avoid could potentially cause more harm than driving while impaired;
- If you were driving under duress to avoid being seriously injured or killed;
- If you were encouraged to drink by law enforcement;
- If you can prove that you thought the medication you were taking was wearing off and not affecting your driving capabilities; or,
- If your drink was spiked with another substance which caused your driving impairment.
Your DUI lawyer in Falls Township, PA may also be able to prove that:
- The arresting officer made an illegal stop;
- The field sobriety tests were not administered correctly;
- The instruments used to administer the tests were not calibrated correctly;
- The blood test may have been tampered with after the specimen was collected;
- It wasn’t you who was operating the vehicle; or,
- Law enforcement violated the defendant’s civil rights or behaved improperly.
Falls Township DUI Lawyer Near Me (610) 680-7842
Being Found Guilty of a DUI Charge
If you have been charged with a DUI, it may not be a good idea to represent yourself in court. Hiring a DUI lawyer in Falls Township, PA who knows what to do can help you avoid penalties such as:
- Court costs
- Fines and penalties
- DUI bail
- Increased insurance rates
- Insurance agencies refusing to continue providing coverage for you
- Towing and impound fees
- Medical costs
- Special ignition switch installation
- DUI classes
- Job loss
A DUI conviction in Pennsylvania may result in your license being suspended. The more you know about the DUI laws in Pennsylvania, the better decisions you and your attorney can make when it comes to your defense. Call a DUI lawyer in Falls Township, PA from McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. at (610) 680-7842 for a free case evaluation. Give yourself every opportunity to have your charges reduced or dismissed.
Call or text (610) 680-7842 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
