If you’re a college student who’s been charged with a DUI for the first time, you’re afraid, angry with yourself, and possibly disappointed. Drunk driving reports for approximately one-third of all traffic-related deaths, so the penalties are intended to make you think twice before getting behind the wheel after a few drinks. If you’ve been arrested for a DUI while in college, you’ll almost certainly be charged with a DUI first offense, and you’ll need the assistance of an expert lawyer.
In addition to any local or state drunk driving laws that may apply, many schools and universities have their drunk driving codes of conduct and punishments. Make sure you know how the rules on college relate to city and state legislation.
You might be tempted to dismiss college cops as glorified shopping mall security guards. College cops frequently have the same authority as city and county cops. As a result, ignoring their jurisdiction is not a good idea. Being arrested as a college student is similar to being detained as any other adult in some aspects. And it’s quite different in several factors.
If a personal injury or death results from an accident, you could face significant prison time. Your insurance premiums are already expensive due to your age and lack of driving experience, but a DUI will raise them considerably more, and those rates will last for up to five years. You’ll also need to show that you have the bare minimum of liability insurance for three years after your driver’s license suspension ends, using a form called an SR-22, and, as you might expect, it’s not cheap.
If this is your second DUI, you might face up to a year in prison, as well as fines of at least $2,100. You’ll also lose your driving privileges for at least a year, be required to obtain an SR-22, and possibly be required to use an ignition interlock device.
Just because you’ve been arrested and charged with a DUI doesn’t imply you’ll go to jail or have a DUI on your record forever. Specific programs can assist you in avoiding a DUI conviction. An expert DUI law team is your best resource for dealing with DUIs in college or beyond; contact one such as Baldwin, Perry & Kamish, P.C, immediately.
