California Drunk Driving Laws
Reader’s Question:
Can you tell me about California’s drunk driving laws?
Steven
Los Angeles CA
Every state in the country, including California, finds driving and drinking to be two activities that should not go together. This is because a driver with alcohol in his system can get his senses and reflexes dulled, causing him to overspeed or react too late to unexpected incidents. Often a driver who has a lot of alcohol in his system causes harm or injury to people and their properties.
California has its own shares of accidents due to drunk drivers and the state does not want that to continue unchecked. In that regard, the state follows the 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration test as a measure whether or not to arrest a driver who has consumed alcohol. Basically, California drunk driving laws are similar to others. If a driver fails the BAC test, he gets arrested and a case for drunk driving is filed against him. During this time, the driver can post bail and should avail himself of lawyer knowledgeable in this field to mitigate the damages. Once a conviction is given under California drunk driving laws, the penalties, fines and jail time could be significantly high to discourage further violations. The first offense gets the lowest fines and only up to a few hours of being in jail. Subsequent offenses could lead to stricter punishments.
A conviction for drunk driving under California drunk driving laws is more than just about fines and penalties. It is also about being categorized as a high-risk driver among insurance companies and getting an SR-22 forms. When you are in the high-risk category, your premium rates will shoot up, doubling or tripling your usual rates. An SR-22 form is expensive to secure and an additional financial burden. Unless you have a deep pocket, you cannot afford to pay all of these expenses. More importantly, being drunk while driving endangers lives — that of your own and others on the road.
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