Strict Penalties for Drivers Caught Driving Drunk in Michigan

Not only is driving under the influence of alcohol in Michigan illegal, but it can also turn deadly. When someone drives drunk they may endanger their own life as well as the innocent lives of others. Hundreds of drivers and passengers on the roads of Michigan are killed every year because someone drove drunk.

Officials in the state of Michigan are working together to try to reduce the number of fatalities and disabilities that result from driving drunk. The state of Michigan has enacted strict laws and penalties even for first-time offenders. It is illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or greater, and for drivers under the age of 21 it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.02 or more.

When police suspect that someone is driving while intoxicated in Michigan, they may ask the driver to take a field sobriety test. Depending on the results of the sobriety test, police may then ask the driver to undergo the Preliminary Breath Test. If drivers decline to take the breath test, police can fine them as much as $150 and they can be charged with a civil infraction. If drivers under the age of 21 refuse to take this test, they will have two points added to their record.

If a person is arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in Michigan, that driver will be forced to take a chemical test including blood and urine samples. Because of Michigan's Implied Consent Law, anyone who rejects these tests may get their driver's license suspended for one year and a total of six points may be added onto their record.

If the driver is found guilty of a Michigan DUI offense, their driver's license will be suspended for six months for a first conviction. Any additional DUI convictions may result in increased fines and license suspensions. A second conviction of drunk driving in Michigan will result in a five day to one year jail sentence, or thirty to ninety days of community service. A third drunk-driving conviction will be considered a felony, even if no one was killed.

Driving under the influence is dangerous and can result in a serious car accident in Michigan. If you recognize that someone is driving drunk, put as much space as you can in between that car and yours and call 911 to report it to the police.

If you have been injured in a Michigan car accident and you suspect that the other driver was drunk, contact the Michigan accident attorneys at the law firm of Keller & Keller today at (269) 983-7333. We will provide you with personal attention and explain every step along the way.

We represent injured victims in the cities of Saint Joseph, South Bend, Battle Creek, Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Elkhart, Grand Rapids, Niles, Granger, Benton Harbor, Benton Charter Township, Benton Heights, South Haven, Coloma, Hagar Township, Buchanan, and Buchanan Township and throughout Michigan.

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