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Drunk driving punishments include fines, jail time, community service, counseling, ignition lockouts, license suspension, and vehicle confiscation. Penalties increase for subsequent offenses and may include mandatory prison sentences. Ignition interlock devices and license revocation are common punishments.
The most common punishments for drunk driving include fines, jail time, community service, counseling, ignition lockouts, driver’s license suspension, and vehicle confiscation. If convicted, a judge, depending on the jurisdiction, may impose one or a combination of these penalties. The penalties imposed for the first drunk driving offense are generally less severe than the penalties for subsequent convictions. The degree of intoxication or previous convictions for drunk driving can increase the severity of the drunk driving penalties.
Fines are the most typical punishments for drunk driving. Fine amounts vary by jurisdiction. Judges often impose fines on first-time offenders. Fines increase dramatically for subsequent offenses. Some jurisdictions allow low-income people to perform community service instead of paying a fine. Courts may also allow payment in monthly installments.
Of course, punishments for driving often include incarceration or jail time. Again, prison sentences vary by jurisdiction. For first offenders, judges often impose jail time, but suspend the sentence while the perpetrator is on probation. If the perpetrator violates probation, the judge lifts the suspension and requires the perpetrator to serve the prison sentence. Subsequent convictions often result in a mandatory prison sentence.
Punishments for drunk driving for a first offense usually include community service and counseling. Community service can be any activity that benefits the local area, such as picking up trash or working at a homeless shelter for a specified number of hours. Counseling usually occurs with a professional who helps a person understand the problems associated with alcohol abuse and the consequences of drink driving. Some jurisdictions may require an offender to participate in a program such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), an organization that seeks to help people overcome alcohol use problems.
Many jurisdictions require ignition interlock devices for those convicted of drink driving. An ignition interlock requires a driver to blow into a device for a vehicle to start, and blow into the device at random intervals when the vehicle is in use. If the device detects alcohol, it will prevent the vehicle from starting or may shut down the vehicle. The device also records data that a judge can use as a basis for imposing drunk driving penalties. An individual must pay to install interlocking on a vehicle, pay a monthly fee on the device, and pay an additional fee to remove it.
The suspension or revocation of a driving license can also be included as one of the punishments for drunk driving. A judge can revoke or suspend a driver’s license for the actual crime of drink driving. Many jurisdictions also allow for automatic revocation when a driver refuses to take a breathalyzer test if stopped by the police. Refusal to take a breath test is usually a separate offense from drunk driving.
Penalties for driving while intoxicated also include confiscation of the vehicle. This fine is usually imposed when a driver has two or more drunk driving convictions. The police impound a vehicle and in some cases may conduct an auction to sell it.
