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Drunk driving in New Jersey comes with severe penalties, so contact a New Jersey attorney for help. Drivers who have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher can be charged with a DUI. If you find yourself in a situation where you are facing DUI charges, it is imperative that you hire a New Jersey attorney. They will work to get the charges and penalties reduced. Here are some of the consequences associated with drunk driving in New Jersey.
A New Jersey Attorney Can Help With Fines
There are multiple fines associated with getting a DUI. If it is the first offense and the BAC is 0.08% or higher you will owe between $250 and $400. There will also be an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC) education fee of $230, a Neighborhood Service Fund fee of $75, an alcohol education and rehabilitation fee of $100, and surcharges of $1,000 per year for three years. These fines are increased if the BAC level is 0.10% or higher.
License Suspension
License suspension is another consequence associated with receiving a DUI. If the BAC level is 0.08% or higher, your license will be suspended for 3 months. If the BAC level is 0.10% or higher, your license suspension time increases to 7-12 months.
Jail Time
Perhaps the scariest DUI consequence is jail time. If the BAC was 0.08% or higher, you could be imprisoned for up to 30 days. If the BAC level is 0.10% or higher, the maximum jail time is still 30 days.
Educational Hours
DUI offenders must also go to an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC) for educational classes. The amount of class time is between 12 and 48 hours.
How Can a New Jersey Attorney Help?
First, an attorney can help you save money. As mentioned above, the various fines add up to quite a high amount. An attorney can also look for mistakes with the evidence and use that to reduce charges. For example, there could have been an error with the breathalyzer test that causes the charge to become invalid.
DUI Reform on the Horizon
On Friday 8/23/19, Governor Murphy passed a law reforming the way DWIs and Refusals are penalized in New Jersey. Read the full statement here.
Highlights of the law include the requirement to install an ignition interlock device (IID) for first-time offenders and reduced license suspension periods for all offenders. For example, first-time offenders will now face the following consequences:
- BAC of 0.08 to 0.10 – must install ignition interlock at own cost, use for six months. License suspension of 30 days.
- BAC of 0.10 to 0.15 – must install ignition interlock at own cost, use for six months to a year. License suspension of 45 days.
- BAC higher than 0.15 – must install ignition interlock at own cost, use for one year to 18 months. License suspension of 90 days.
The aim of the reform is to limit/prevent future drunk driving incidents while allowing those convicted of DWI the ability to earn a living during their sentence. Under the current law, an offender will lose their license for several months to several years, making it difficult to provide for themselves and their families. This can lead to depression and an increased chance of further substance abuse and repeat offenses. If you are facing a DWI or Refusal charges, know that we will soon be able to get you back on the road faster. To discuss the reform or any charges you may be facing, we encourage you to contact a New Jersey attorney today for a free consultation.
Contact A New Jersey Attorney Today
Getting charged with a DUI can be extremely overwhelming. Between the fines, license suspension, jail time, and educational hours, you will be feeling the consequences of the DUI long after it occurred. Remember, a New Jersey attorney such as Leon Matchin is very experienced in this area of law. He has successfully defended many clients and can do the same for you! If you or a loved one have received a DUI charge, contact Leon Matchin as soon as possible. Call Leon at 732-887-2479 or contact him via email at [email protected] for more information about how he can help with a DUI charge.
