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Drunk driving laws are not limited to just alcohol impairment in automobiles, while different circumstances and past criminal convictions affect how each DUI defendant is charged. Commercial truck drivers, for example, must adhere to much stricter DUI regulations than those affecting non-commercial motorists. And someone convicted of a third DUI in Florida, for example, faces a minimum two-year driver’s license suspension
Types Of DUI
- Aggravated DUI Your DUI charge could get much worse very quickly if you were breaking the law in more than one way, such as driving under the influence while speeding. This is known as an aggravated DUI.A normal DUI charge already carries severe penalties, but certain situations can result in enhanced penalties for DUI or DWI that go well beyond the sentences normally imposed after a DUI conviction. The presence of certain aggravating factors in a DUI case can result in enhanced penalties by either increasing the range of potential sentences or by raising the actual charge to a higher level, depending on the state where the DUI prosecution takes place.
- Commercial DUI Regulations Most people should not drink on the job. This holds doubly true when your job involves driving. Bus drivers, truck drivers and other professionals with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) are held to a higher standard than non-commercial drivers with respect to impaired driving, as established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). And with good reason. Whether their cargo is a steel tank full of gasoline or a school bus packed with elementary school children, the stakes are much higher in than for the typical automobile driver. A drunk or drugged commercial driver not only poses a serious threat to public safety but also is a serious liability to his or her employer. –
- Drunk Biking You do not need to be in a car in order to be guilty of driving under the influence. Operating other vehicles can also become the basis for a DUI, and bicycles are no exception.
- Felony DUI Felony DUI’s happen when someone gets convicted of a DUI with another aggravating factor present: such as driving on a revoked license, or with children present in the vehicle. Most states classify a standard DUI (or DWI) charge as a misdemeanor. Certain circumstances can raise the level of the charge to a felony, however. A conviction for a felony DUI carries stiffer penalties and more lasting consequences than a misdemeanor charge. Not every state has the same rules for what does and does not constitute felony drunk driving, though, so you should check the laws and procedures in your state for more information .
Alexander Truluck focuses his practice as a criminal defense attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Largo, Dunedin and the Tampa Bay area.
For more information, visit our website at http://www.criminallawyerclearwaterflorida.com
or call (727) 799-3550.
