The Utah legislature has tweaked the driving under the influence laws in the state. The law had said that novice drivers who had even one drop of alcohol in their system could be arrested for drunk driving. After further consideration, the law has been changed so that only those novice drivers under the age of 21 from drinking and driving after the previous law was found to discriminate against immigrants who had been driving for years in another country but had just recently gotten their American driving license.
Utah Laws on Driving Under the Influence
Utah already has some of the toughest laws in the nation concerning drunk driving. While most states do not consider a person drunk until their blood alcohol level measures 0.08, a person with a blood alcohol level of 0.05 can be found guilty in Utah.
The state also has some of the toughest penalties when a person is convicted of drunk driving. On the first offense, a person must spend two days in jail or serve 48 hours of community service, pay a fine of at least $1,310, have their license suspended for 120 days and judges may order a person to install an ignition interlock device.
DUI Penalties in Utah
The penalties increase drastically after the second offense. For example, on the third offense, a person must spend 62 days in jail, but a judge can order them to spend up to five years in prison. They also must pay at least $2,800 in fines and use an ignition interlock device for two years. The person also has their license revoked for two years.
You can even be found guilty of drunk driving in Utah when you are not behind the wheel. You only need to have the ignition key or be in control of part of the operating system. Furthermore, if the driver falls asleep, but you are only a passenger, then you can be found guilty of drunk driving.
Hire An Experienced Utah DUI Attorney
If you are arrested for driving under the influence, then you need a great lawyer to defend you against the charges. Call T.R. Spencer Law Office. who has the experience you need to help lessen your charges.