Connecticut residents should be aware of the laws that surround driving under the influence (DUI) in their state. Not knowing these rules and your own limits can cause you to end up in serious trouble and have you facing many Connecticut DUI penalties. In the state, adults of legal drinking age can be charged with a DUI if their blood alcohol concentration is .08% or higher. Those who are not of legal drinking age, defined as under twenty-one in the state of Connecticut, only have to have a blood alcohol concentration of .02% or higher in order to be charged with a DUI and to face Connecticut DUI penalties.
The blood alcohol concentration can be obtained in a number of different ways. Most commonly, it is measured using a breathalyzer test. It may also, however, be measured using a blood or urine test, though these are more common when it is suspected that one is under the influence of drugs. Do keep in mind that drugs are considered just as dangerous on the road as alcohol, and that you can be charged with a DUI and can face Connecticut DUI penalties even if you are taking medications that have been prescribed to you by a physician.
It is also important to note that Connecticut is what is referred to as an “implied consent” state. This means that each and every time you get behind the wheel and the very fact that you have a Connecticut driver’s license means that you consent to having your blood alcohol concentration tested at any time. Therefore, if you do not consent to testing at the time of your arrest, you will automatically have your licensed suspended and will face other Connecticut DUI penalties, regardless of whether or not you are late found guilty of the DUI charge.
For those who are convicted of a DUI, the Connecticut DUI penalties are serious and far reaching. All offenders will have their licenses revoked for a period of at least three months. Those who refuse to submit to drug and alcohol testing automatically lose their licenses for a period of six months. First time offenders who are found guilty will have their licenses suspended for one year, can face up to six months in jail or up to 100 hours of community service, and can be fined a minimum of $500 to $1,000. The DUI penalty possibilities for second time offenders and subsequent offenders are even worse and can include as much as having the license revoked, up to three years in jail, and fines ranging to $8,000.
