Everyone should know that driving under the influence is illegal, and most people know if they take the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test and blow .08% or over they will be charged with a DUI. But did you know that’s not the only way you can be charged with a DUI?
In Arizona, as in many states, all that has to be proven for you to be charged with an Arizona DUI is that you were impaired to the slightest degree. That means that even if your BAC is below .08%, you can still be charged with a DUI. If you had just a drink or two after work and on your drive home you drift left of center and get pulled over, you may be charged with an Arizona DUI, because while your BAC might be under the legal limit, you are exhibiting signs of impaired driving.
When you blow at or over the legal limit of .08% you will be charged with an Arizona DUI. There’s also an Extreme DUI charge for those who blow over .15% BAC. If you blow over .15% and are convicted of a DUI, your penalties will be increased exponentially. Also, if you happen to be a CDL driver, you should never drive after drinking because a BAC of .04% is enough to get you charged with a DUI and you will lose your license and livelihood.
For the teens out there, Arizona has a zero-tolerance law. If you blow anything over a zero, you’re going to be charged with an underage Arizona DUI and you will not get off lightly.
So, you’ve been pulled over, charged with a DUI, probably had your license administratively suspended, now what? Penalties are harsh for Arizona DUI offenders, you should find a good attorney who can advise you on the available options. Arizona is a mandatory jail time and ignition interlock device state, so having a professional on your side to help mitigate the penalties is important.
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