While you may know you should never drive drunk, you also know that you may not make the best decisions while intoxicated.
If you have made a second bad decision, you will face harsher consequences.
1. What penalties will I face?
In most cases, a second DWI comes with a misdemeanor charge with varying levels of severity. A level five results in a $200 fine and potentially 60 days in jail. The most severe charge, a level one, comes with possibly serving two years incarcerated and a $4,00 fine. Typically, your second offense will fall into the three more severe levels. Other circumstances, such as a child or driving with a child in the car, impacts the charge.
2. Will I lose my license?
A second offense may result in a four-year suspension. Depending on the circumstances, you may have the option of filing a petition for limited privileges for work purposes. If you petition the court for that, you may need to attend a rehab program as well will likely have an ignition interlock device installed, which you have to pay for.
3. What if my DWI accident caused an accident?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 30% of vehicle crash fatalities involve drunk drivers. If you find yourself in a part of that statistic, you face varying levels of possibilities. A death-by-vehicle charge, which means an unintentional death, has three levels: misdemeanor, felony and aggravated felony. The latter comes with a sentence of 64 to 160 months.
When you drive drunk, you know you will face consequences. Understanding the beforehand may help ease you through the legal process.