Drivers are expected to be more careful when driving through a school zone because of the numerous children who are generally present in these areas. Drivers are expected to follow the lower driving limit in a school zone while making sure to look in all directions to ensure they do not accidentally harm a child. Taking these strict precautionary rules into consideration, one can only imagine how much trouble they can get into for drunk driving in a school zone.
Individuals caught for driving while intoxicated in a school zone will face up to 60 more days of jail time, must pay up to $800 more in fines and will also have to face longer license suspensions, that could be 1-2 more years then with a regular DUI charge. DUI cases alone are never taken lightly by the law because of how much damage they can cause and how many people are at risk whenever there is a drunk driver on the roads. Anyone who has been convicted of a DUI offense should contact an attorney as soon as they are given the liberty to make a phone call. They can use the help of the lawyer to determine any defenses they are eligible to use in hopes of somehow reducing their penalty.
There have been cases in which a person was arrested for DUI but because the officer conducted an illegal arrest, or the person was forced to be in the situation which caused them to drive while intoxicated then they had their charges lifted entirely. An attorney can assess a person’s specific situation and let them know if they are eligible to have their charges reduced or possibly even lifted.
If a person is caught driving with a BAC above 0.08%, they will most likely have to face the following penalties in Trenton, Ohio:
A minimum of 12 hours of jail time
Immediate loss of driving privileges for 3 months
$250-$450 in fines
Installation of an Ignition Interlock Device on their vehicle
An increase in their insurance premium
Substance abuse assessment and mandatory program enrollment
These penalties can be life-changing, and a person’s previously easy life can become a lot more difficult and complicated if they are forced to endure these penalties to make up for their irresponsible driving behavior. If a person is being hit with a subsequent charge or if they were heavily intoxicated when they were arrested their penalties will increase accordingly.
Every driver should try their best to never get behind the wheel when they are intoxicated in the first place. However, if they do somehow end up in that situation and they get caught by an officer they can rely on a DUI attorney to help them defend themselves in court and try to have their penalties reduced so they do not end up paying more then is absolutely necessary for their particular situation.