How Does a DUI in PA Affect You?
A Pennsylvania DUI conviction can have a serious impact on your personal and professional life. A PA DUI can result in significant DUI penalties, including fines, driver's license suspension and jail. Due to the severity of the consequences of a DUI conviction, if you have been charged with DUI or a DUI-related offense in Montgomery County, PA, you should seek the assistance of an experienced Montgomery County, PA DUI lawyer as soon as possible.
Pennsylvania DUI Penalties
In Montgomery County and all of eastern Pennsylvania, police, prosecutors and judges are under pressure to make arrests, get convictions and impose stiff penalties for DUI offenders. The potential penalties for a DUI conviction are harsh. When you are charged with a DUI in PA, you are at risk for any or all of the following outcomes:
- Jail time
- Criminal record
- Suspension of your PA Driver's License
- Substantial fines
- Increased car insurance rates
- Required drug and alcohol treatment
- Ignition interlock
- Mandatory alcohol education classes
Penalties for DUI in PA are based in part on your blood alcohol level, or BAC, at the time of your arrest as well as the number of previous offenses, if any, that you have on your record. There are three tiers of BAC levels in Pennsylvania. Learn more about PA DUI penalties.
Pennsylvania has a zero tolerance law for drivers under the age of 21. Anyone under the age of 21 operating a car with a .02 BAC or higher is subject to DUI penalties.
PA Implied Consent Law
Pennsylvania is one of many states that has an implied consent law, meaning that drivers suspected of driving under the influence are legally obligated to consent to breath, blood, or urine testing to determine alcohol content. The Implied Consent Law of Pennsylvania states that drivers consent to such chemical testing if a police officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person to have been drinking under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
If a person is placed under arrest for PA DUI and the person refuses to submit to chemical testing, then the testing will not be conducted, and the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles will suspend the person's driver's license for an automatic 12 months.
How a Good PA DUI Lawyer Can Help You
Dealing with a DUI charge in Pennsylvania is extremely stressful. If you or someone you know has been pulled over and arrested for DUI in PA, you need answers from someone you can trust. You need an experienced DUI lawyer to guide you through the process, remove much of this stress from your life and utilize knowledge, experience and resources to put you in the best position possible at the end of this ordeal.
The Martin Law Firm has an impressive record of success with DUI cases. We have helped many clients gain acceptance into and successfully complete the ARD program, often resulting in the expungement of the DUI charges from the person's criminal record. Our goal is always to eliminate or minimize the PA DUI penalties that our clients face, including jail time, burdensome license suspensions, fines and costs. Call The Martin Law Firm today for a free consultation with a skilled PA DUI lawyer: 215-646-3980.
Jason B. Martin is a Pennsylvania attorney and the founder of The Martin Law Firm, P.C., located in Blue Bell, Montgomery County, PA. Visit our home page to view our practice areas, and contact The Martin Law Firm today for a free consultation.