What kind of penalties am I looking at if I get arrested for drunk driving here in Arizona?

Beatrice

Phoenix, AZ

A person caught having a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, while driving or in actual control of a car, can and will be charged a DWI or Driving While Intoxicated offense in Arizona. Studies have shown that this level of BAC seriously impairs a person’s ability to drive effectively, therefore intensifying the risk of a drunk driving accident. Costly fined and heavy penalties can be expected, if convicted of a DWI. A DWI insurance policy for you – and your vehicle – is necessary in order to be allowed to drive again.

Here are some very important details about DWI penalties in the state of Arizona: 1st offense has $450 fine plus $500 DWI assessment fee, up to 10 days in jail and 30-360 days license revocation. 2nd offense: $900 fine + $1,250 DWI Assessment fee, 90 days in prison, and a suspended license for a year, offender would also need to shoulder the cost of installing a mandatory Interlock Ignition Device on the vehicle.

Third-time DWI offenders faces a fine of $1,350 + $250 DWI Assessment and another $1,500 for aggravated DWI assessment, 4 months in jail, 3 years license suspension and mandatory interlock ignition device on all vehicles owned.

The state would require someone finished serving a DWI conviction to get a DWI insurance coverage for themselves and all their vehicles, before driving privileges can be restored. The right kind of DWI insurance policy can protect you from huge financial burdens, should you get into or cause an auto accident in the future.

The good news is that getting an affordable DWI insurance policy in Arizona is now easier than ever! Thanks largely to the Web, and the countless online DWI and auto insurance specialists in it. By allowing fast and easy access to the latest auto insurance rates and offers, it now takes only a few minutes and a few mouse clicks away to get the best priced offers in the market today. With the web, you can get the right auto insurance at the right price, while saving yourself hundreds of dollars on insurance costs every year.

How can I obtain auto insurance after being convicted for drunk driving or DUI ?

Ralph

Catalina Foothills, AZ

Most major auto insurance providers would not give coverage to those who have been convicted for drunk driving or DUI. Even if you have an existing auto insurance coverage in Arizona at the time you were convicted, your auto insurance provider could very well drop your policy or increase your premiums considerably.

A good place to begin with suggestions for credible auto insurance companies who give coverage to people convicted of DUI is you DUI lawyer or legal counsel. Most likely, this would not be the first time they have been down this road and they could have some resources to help you in your search to find the best drunk driving insurance for you. Another option is to find out a DUI specialist who could help you track down the best auto insurance provider for your specific driving record. An auto insurance provider offer rates based on a lot of factors like driving record, claim history, age and gender to name a few. You could almost expect that they would also be checking your credit report and confirming employment.

I’m having a difficulty coping after being charged with DUI fine.  How would I deal with this?

Freddie

Mesa, AZ

It would take just one bad judgment to be charged with DUI, but that decision could completely change your life. A drunk driving charge is not easy to deal with on any level, but there’s support out there if you know where to look. First is that you can talk with friends and family members because they could help you emotionally and financially. You have to complete any court-ordered programs such as DUI school, community service and alcohol counseling to avoid further punishment by finishing these programs as instructed.

You may also want to attend an alcohol abuse support group even if the court does not order you to attend because it would always be better to speak with people who can relate to your situation. Best of all, you have to speak with a DUI lawyer because a lawyer who is experienced in DUI cases could explain the consequences and options your DUI case presents. The DUI lawyer can advise you on every aspect of your case, explain to you the legal consequences and help you deal with your car insurance after your DUI.

I was charged with DUI and I was told that I need to attend DUI school? What is the purpose of having to attend DUI school and can I skip this part?

Marion

Glendale, AZ

The purpose of having to attend DUI School because of your DUI charge in Glendale, Arizona is to educate you on the negative effects of drunk driving in your life. The completion of DUI School may also prompt the court to reduce your penalties and/or sentence if you successfully complete DUI School. Another positive outcome is that it could reduce the number of points placed on your driver’s license because of your DUI charge. The sooner you sign up for DUI School, the sooner your driving privileges are likely to be restored. But you are also given the right to wait until the final day allowable to schedule your DUI class.

If the court will provide you a list of DUI class options in your area, you have to choose one from the list. You have to avoid arguing for the validity of an alternative school, even if you think it is a completely legitimate option. Alcohol treatment could also be required as part of your sentence for a DUI. Even a first DUI offense can land you to jail, threaten your employment and cause your insurance to sky-rocket so it’s very important not to resist attending DUI School. And if you’re looking for the perfect car insurance for you, enter your zip code on the top portion of the homepage of this website and get a free online rate quote.

My auto insurance policy has been cancelled because of my drunk driving charge. Can I get my insurance reinstated within the same company or shall I go ahead and find a new one?

Victor

Scottsdale, AZ

After an auto insurance company has cancelled your policy because of your drunk driving charge in Scottsdale, Arizona, you could find it difficult to purchase auto insurance from another company. In cases like cancellation of auto insurance policy due to not paying the premium on time, you might be able to get your auto insurance reinstated with the same company if you otherwise have a good record. In such cases, a lot of insurance companies would require you to pay the full annual premium upfront if you have a history of missing premium payments.

But your case is different because your auto insurance policy has been cancelled because they considered you high risk due to your drunk driving charge. Your auto insurance company may not be willing to reinstate your policy so it’s time for you to look elsewhere for coverage. There are a lot of auto insurance companies that are willing to sell policies to high-risk policyholders. It may be a higher price, but it will be a better deal so it will be worth it. Try to get an online rate quote now to check out what’s waiting for you for your auto insurance.

I was arrested for DUI and I was told that I need to get an attorney, but can I represent myself? What can a lawyer actually do for me if I go and hire one?

Joaquin

Tucson, AZ

Anyone can actually represent himself/herself in court, but the State of Arizona’s DUI law is very complicated and the punishments are quite severe. Also, the DUI statutes do take up a lot of pages of the Arizona Code. Additionally, the statue that makes it illegal to murder someone is conversely only one sentence long. That’s how serious your DUI charge is, so it would be very risky to represent yourself. You need an aggressive DUI attorney to combat all the challenges of your DUI case.

The DUI attorney would research your DUI case so that you could win at your trial. Alternatively, if your DUI case could not be won, he could fight to at least have minimum punishments. The DUI attorney could also negotiate to at least have a reduced charge. He/she would also make sure that everything will go through courts and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) smoothly. If you have a DUI attorney on your side, you definitely have a fighting chance to battle your DUI case.

Hi, my name is Lance, I live in Phoenix, Arizona and I have been driving for a long time. I didn’t know that speed and braking properly can even be a difficult task for an impaired driving. How can this happen and could you give me an example?

Lance

Phoenix, AZ

There are numerous driving cues that we can observe and basically judge that a motorist is driving under the influence. Two of the problems that an impaired driver can exhibit are speeding and braking problems. A research has shown that braking properly could be a difficult task for an impaired driver. For example, there is a good chance that a driver is under the influence if you notice any type of stopping problem. These stopping problems include jerky or abrupt stops, stopping too far from a curb or at an inappropriate angle and stopping too short or beyond a limit line.

Impaired drivers could also experience difficulty maintaining an appropriate speed. There is also a good chance that the motorist is driving under the influence if you notice the vehicle to vary its speed, alternating between speeding up and slowing down; accelerate or decelerate rapidly for no apparent reason; or driven at a speed that is ten miles per hour or more under the limit.

I was charged with DUI and I feel like my case would just be lost. Do I at least have a fighting chance in winning my drunk driving case?

Julius

Tempe, AZ

This is one of the most common mistakes that people charged with DUI do-think that they will just lose in their DUI case and the case is over especially if they had a blood alcohol reading of .08% or more. But you have to know that this is definitely not the way DUI defense works in the real world because DUI convictions are almost never assured.

The prosecution would point to several factors as evidence that you were driving under the influence when you were arrested in Tempe, Arizona. These factors include the odor of alcohol flowing from the breath, poor performance on the field sobriety tests, poor navigation of your vehicle, the appearance of being intoxicated, and the results of the breath or blood alcohol test. But all of those pieces of evidence are unreliable, ambiguous, based on faulty assumptions, open to attack and subject to multiple interpretations. There are a lot of DUI defenses that could be raised in a typical DUI case. Not every DUI defense would apply in your case but a good DUI lawyer could definitely study each line of defense that could be used in your DUI case.

I never got cited for DUI but I’m curious to know a few things about it. If asked, can I admit that I had been drinking if I will be stopped for DUI?

Suzanne

Scottsdale, AZ

Although you are not suppose to answer any potentially incriminating questions, even lawyers would advise you to be polite to the police officers if you are stopped for DUI suspicion. You could say that you would like to speak with a DUI lawyer first before answering any questions; and this would be a good response to them. But you could admit that you had been drinking if you only had a few drinks because that may not be incriminating; because one or two drinks are usually not sufficient to cause intoxication and it could explain the odor of alcohol on your breath. This would make you look honest as well, which could later be very significant in your defense.

If you are stopped for any reason and you had been drinking and you really don’t think that your driving is impaired, I strongly suggest that you call an expert on this. An experienced DUI lawyer could definitely help you get out of trouble and build a line of DUI defense to prove that you were not driving under the influence.

I understand that police officers are trained enough to conduct field sobriety tests on people whom they think that are drunk driving but the question is, how are police officers in  Arizona trained for conducting such tests?

Easton

Glendale, AZ

Field sobriety tests (FST’s) program have long been implemented on DUI investigation since the Advisory Committee on Highway Safety of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) passed a resolution which recommended for law enforcement agencies to adopt the program developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As the program continues to grow, it has become apparent that in order to ensure continued success, nationally accepted standards should be established. These standards that establish criteria for the selection and training of standardized field sobriety test (SFST) practitioners will help ensure the continued high level of success of the SFST program.

Law enforcement officers at present, which include those in Glendale, Arizona, have training in the SFST program which is 16 hours in length and include at least two controlled drinking sessions utilizing volunteer drinkers. This is in conformity with section 1.2 of the Standards for Training in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing.