February 2019 - The High Cost of a DUI

We all love to get together for the Super Bowl and have a good time, myself included. For the past several years, over 100 million people reportedly watched what has become known as this country’s most popular sporting event. Even though we are all having a good time, always remember – Don’t Drink and Drive!

If you are in an accident causing someone injury and you have been drinking alcohol, you are most likely going to jail. Even if you’re lucky enough to avoid an accident, the consequences of drunk driving are stiff. One of the most frequently asked questions by people facing DUI charges is whether or not they’ll lose their license. The answer is more than likely yes.

In New Jersey you do face a license suspension if convicted of a DUI, the terms of which depend on your number of offenses and your BAC level at the time you were ticketed.

First-time offenders with a BAC between .08% (the legal limit in most states) and .10% can lose their license for three months. If their BAC is at or above .10%, the suspension ranges from seven months to one year. A second offense committed within 10 years of the first offense carries a two-year suspension, while subsequent offenses carry a 10-year suspension and jail time.

Remember, New Jersey doesn’t offer conditional licenses for DUI offenders, so you’ll have to find transportation alternatives for work or school. And, when your suspension period ends, your license isn’t automatically reinstated. You have to apply for reinstatement.

Make no mistake – DUIs come at a high cost. Be sure your celebration plans for the Super Bowl or any occasion include arrangements for getting home safely. Enjoy Super Bowl LIII!