Familiarizing yourself with Michigan’s anti-drunk and drugged driving laws can help you understand what your consequences may be in the event you are arrested and charged with DUI or OWI in Lansing or any other city in the state of Michigan. To be clear, DUI stands for driving while under the influence and OWI stands for operating while intoxicated. Now, you may have heard lawmakers or police use these terms interchangeably, however, they both have the same meaning.
Another reason why individuals should become familiar with some of Michigan’s anti-drunk and drugged driving laws is because it can help deter a person away from getting behind the wheel drunk as they know if they are caught, they are looking at some serious penalties for making the mistake. You see, when a person is convicted of DUI, the laws requires the following:
- The Courts must decide on drunk and drugged driving case within 77 days after an arrest is made.
- A driver must serve a mandatory 6-month driver license suspension, even it if is their first time being arrested for DUI. However, a person may be eligible for a restricted license after serving 30 days of the suspension.
- A driver is subjected to serving a mandatory one-year driver license suspension if it is their first time being convicted and they were operating a vehicle with a BAC of .17 or higher. A driver who is convicted with a BAC level this high may be eligible for a restricted license after having served 45 days of the mandatory license suspension period. However, this only applies if an ignition interlock device is installed on any vehicle the offender owns or intends to operate.
- A DUI offender will be ordered by the Court to participate in and complete one or more rehabilitation programs, which might include alcohol treatment, a self-help program, or another program the court deems appropriate. The court will order an offender to complete this rehabilitation program if they have one or more prior convictions, or they are convicted of High BAC, which is a BAC level of .17 or higher.
- The law states that a DUI offender may be subject to spending five days or up to one year in jail or having to serve 30 to 90 days of community service. If the individual is a second time DUI offender, they may be subject to serving both.
- Harsher license sanctions are imposed for persons with multiple drunk or drugged driving convictions.
- An offender will have to pay a reinstatement fee of $125 if their driver’s license was suspended, revoked, or restricted.
- A Driver Responsibility Fee of $1,000 for a driving while intoxicated conviction, including a High BAC conviction, is required to be paid on top of all the other fees associated with the crime.
- A Driver Responsibility Fee of $500 is required to be paid for convictions for driving while impaired, with any presence of a Schedule 1 drug or cocaine, or child endangerment.
[Source: State of Michigan Secretary of State].
As you can see, the law takes DUI charges rather seriously and these charges have the ability to not only impact you on a short-term scale, but also long-term. The fact is, a DUI charge affects your ability to obtain work, keep your current job, and may have an adverse effect on your family. Therefore, if you have been charged with DUI or OWI in Lansing, East Lansing, Okemos Dewitt, St. Johns, Grand Ledge, or Charlotte and would like help in getting your charges reduced or dismissed, contact Michigan OWI attorney Stuart R. Shafer.
Our office is capable of providing you with the legal representation you will need if you want to stand a chance at having your charges and penalties reduced. Contact us today to get an initial consultation scheduled so that we can discuss some important information with you.
You can reach the Law Offices Stuart R. Shafer, P.C. at:
1223 Turner Street, #333
Lansing, MI 48906
517-487-6603
