Using Alcohol Treatment to Minimize Drunk Driving Penalties

Drunk driving penalties can sometimes be minimized by having the offender participate in an alcohol treatment program. However, it is not as simple as attending a few Alcoholics Anonymous meetings between an arrest for DUI and your trial. State legislatures across the country have enacted tough laws designed to deter people from drinking and driving and punish those who are arrested while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Typical Penalties

Penalties for being convicted of DUI can include:

• Jail time
• License Suspension or Revocation
• Fines
• Mandatory use of an ignition interlock device
• Community Service
• Points on your license

The consequences of drunk driving penalties are equally serious, such as facing highly increased insurance premiums for several years, having a criminal record, possibly losing your job if you are in jail, and being the target of a potential lawsuit if your drunk driving included an accident that injured other people or property.

Minimize Penalties

The single most important thing that you can do in order to minimize penalties related to a DUI is to retain an experienced DUI attorney as soon as possible following your arrest. Don't assume that your case is not defensible; talk to an attorney who can help you understand the laws in your state, what penalties you might be facing and what options might be available to you.

• Depending on your situation (i.e., is this a first offense or not) your attorney might advise you to seek out an alcohol treatment program voluntarily.
• Particularly if your arrest was not a first DUI, or if you had a high Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) it could be helpful to be seen by a judge as being proactive in dealing with your problem.

DWI Court

In some states, and under particular circumstances you may be given the opportunity to participate in a program called DWI or DUI Court. This is a special program that combines treatment and law enforcement, and is overseen by a judge. The purpose of DWI courts are mainly to:

• Target habitual offenders and reduce recidivism
• Protect the community
• Save money (DWI court participation is much less expensive than incarceration)

The benefit to the offender is that although DWI courts operate after conviction, and do not "divert" offenders from a conviction, they often significantly reduce the likelihood of subsequent offenses.

• A study in Michigan showed that DWI offenders who successfully completed DWI court were 19 times less likely to get arrested for DWI again.
• Since DWI court is known to be more effective than typical offender punishments, and it is available to a judge as part of sentencing, often jail time is reduced for the offender who is found to be eligible for DWI court and who is willing to participate in his or her treatment.

Get Legal Help

In order to most effectively minimize penalties for drunk driving crimes, an attorney needs to be brought in to the case as early as possible. Your freedom, your job, and even your family can be affected by your drunk driving arrest. Act quickly to protect yourself with competent legal representation.