Driving Under The Influence in Alabama

Every year millions of people in the United States get convicted of Driving under the Influence (DUI). This a crime and often times these drunk drivers maim or kill people due to them not being in the right capacity to operate their motor vehicle. This article will examine what exactly is a DUI and the different sentences associated with it under the state of Alabama. It will also look at the issue of obtaining car insurance once you have been convicted of a DUI in Alabama.

It is a crime to drive drunk and this is often times called driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI), this all depends on the state and how they define it. In the state of Alabama it is known as a DUI. To be considered a drunk driver in Alabama, the driver must have a high blood alcohol concentration of .15 or higher. Drunk driving kills many people a year and puts countless others at risk. This means if convicted of a DUI it carries far reaching consequences. These will be discussed below.

DUI is a crime and if you are arrested there are different sentences that can be handed down by a court in Alabama. These vary and this article will examine what they are. In the State of Alabama if you have a first offense of DUI then you may get some of the following penalties. For a first offense you may either receive one year in jail, a 90 day license suspension up to a $2,100 fine and mandatory DUI school. For a second offense you may receive one year in jail, mandatory 5 days in jail, a 1 year license suspension, a fine up to $5,100 and mandatory DUI. For your third DUI you may receive one year in jail, mandatory 60 days in jail, a 3 year license suspension, a fine up to $10,100 and mandatory DUI. Your fourth and higher DUI offense is considered a C class felony and you may receive punishment of one year and a day to 10 years in jail, a 5 year license suspension and a fine up to $10,100.

Aside from court costs, possible jail time and heavy fines people convicted of a DUI in Alabama also have to worry about their car insurance premiums increasing. Most people depend on their car and an added cost to operating one affects people tremendously. Most insurance companies check your DMV records to see if you have any accidents or been convicted of a DUI. Insurance companies in Alabama especially the city of Birmingham if they find out you have a DUI conviction will often times raise your premiums because they feel as if you are a high risk driver. This could send your Birmingham auto insurance through the roof.

Guest Post by James Dalton continues to write on interesting topics as it relates to the Birmingham Insurance industry. For more interesting articles on various aspects of insurance such as Birmingham Auto Insurance, please feel free to visit his website.