A DUI can be a blur from the moment you decided to drink and drive until the final sentence handed down to you by a judge. Most of the time, a DUI conviction in Virginia has specific requirements that you must fulfill before you are allowed to move on with your life. You’ll face fines and court costs, and you will have to enter into the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) for your car breathalyzer or ignition interlock requirement. If you’re looking to get your life back as fast as possible, just remember that it’s a bad idea to even consider refusing your car breathalyzer requirement. You’ll be waiting a long time to legally drive in the Commonwealth.
Keep in mind that Virginia is one of several states that can require you to install a car breathalyzer in two ways: through the court system and through the DMV. If you’ve ever dreaded a DMV visit, imagine how well it will go over when you try to explain that you are refusing the car breathalyzer requirement. You won’t be given your license back, and that’s a lot of time wasted in line when you could just go through with the requirement and prove you are committed to sober driving.
Criminally, you can refuse a car breathalyzer requirement, but then you will still have a suspended license. Plus, you can’t decide after that time that you want a car breathalyzer – you get one chance with the court and if you refuse the car breathalyze, you’ll need to find alternative transportation until your suspension period is up.
The first bad idea you had was to drive under the influence of alcohol, and there’s no reason for that pattern to continue. If you’re convicted of a DUI in Virginia or have a pending charge and a DMV-revoked license, your best plan is to go ahead and get a car breathalyzer.