DUI Laws and Penalties in Arizona

Arizona DUI laws

Each State in the United States is given the authority to write their own laws on Driving Under the Influence of alcohol, or better known as DUI. Within this article, we will explore the different DUI laws within the specific State of Arizona, including penalties. To begin with, there is what is known as a "Lookback Period" of seven years prior to the current DUI you are facing, any DUI's you may have are included in the relevancy of sentencing you are currently facing. This is also known as a "washout" period.

What constitutes a high BAC for a DUI in Arizona?

Under 21: .00% (Arizona has a zero tolerance)
21 or Older: .08%
Commercial: .04%

There is never an acceptable time to drink and drive, as your vision, responses, along with your mental capacticy to make quick and important decisions and judgments, are severely hindered and are not capable of bouncing back to what you are able to perform without alcohol in your system. Each person is different, and their tolerance level for alcohol is severely unpredictable making it impossible to say how many drinks are "normal" or not. This is what requires law enforcement to perform chemical testing on suspected DUI offenders. If you are pulled over and are requested to take a chemical test in order to determine your BAC, or Blood Alcohol Content, Arizona has an implied consent law. This means that if you refuse to submit to a chemical test you will be subject to a fine and automatic license suspension. For refusal to take the chemical test, the penalties are a follows:

First Offense: 1 year suspension of license
Second Offense: 2 year suspension of license
Third Offense: 2 year suspension of license

What are the penalties within the Arizona DUI laws?

There are several penalties within the Arizona DUI laws, and we will explore them in this seciton. Should you be pulled over and be found guilty of Driving Under the Influence of alcohol within the boarders of the State of Arizona, the following will be the consequences you will be facing:

Penalty of Jail:

First Offense: minimum 24 hours up to 10 days
Second Offense: minimum 30 days up to 90 days
Third Offense: minimum 4 months

Penalties and Fines:

First Offense: $250 base fine
Second Offense: $500 base fine
Third Offense: $750 base fine

Penalty of License Suspension:

First Offense: 90 to 360 days
Second Offense: 1 year
Third Offense: 1 year

Penalty of Interlock Ignition Device:

For each and every offense and Interlock Ignition Device, or IID, is required to accompany you in each and every day on your vehicle, and without exception.

Conclusion

It is important to note that laws often change, as well as their interpretation and application of them. Due to the fact that there are multiple jurisdictions within a State, and each may choose to enforce the laws in different ways, it is very important to prepare for the unexpected. For this reason it would be in your best interest to retain the services of an experienced and professional lawyer who is well versed in Arizona DUI laws, and capable of giving you the direction you need for your specific case, along with being fully aware of the current laws pertaining to DUI.

(Tags - DUI Tests - DUI Penalties - dui state laws - Arizona DUI laws )