What is ‘legally drunk’ in Florida?
In Florida, drivers less than 21 years are considered to be legally drunk if their blood alcohol level is more than .02, for non-commercial drivers above 21 years, they are legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is more than .08. Commercial vehicle drivers are considered legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is more than .04.
Florida Drunk Driving Penalties
For first time DUI offenders they face the following penalties:
- Imprisonment of up to six months
- A fine ranging from $500 to $1,000
- The offender will be on probation for up to one year
- Community work or a public service project for a minimum of 50 hours.
- The vehicle that the offender was driving at the time of the offense will be impounded for at least 10 days
- The revocation period for the offender’s driver’s license is 180 days to one year.
For second time offenders they face the following penalties:
- Imprisonment of up to nine months
- A fine ranging from $1,000 to $2,000.
- If the conviction occurred within 5 years of the previous offense, driving privileges of the offender will be revoked for at least five years
- The offender must place an ignition interlock device on all vehicles he/she owns or routinely operate for at least one year.
For a third time conviction within 10 years of the first conviction, the offenders faces:
- Imprisonment of up to 12 months
- A fine ranging from $2,000 to $2,500
- The offender will be required to place an ignition interlock device on all vehicles he/she owns or routinely uses for at least 10 years.
For a fourth or subsequent convictions, irrespective of when the conviction occurred, the offender faces:
- Imprisonment of up to 5 years
- A fine of up to $5,000, however the fine cannot be less than $2,000
- The driver’s license of the offender will be revoked permanently.
In addition to the above penalties, if you are convicted of a DUI offense you will be placed on monthly reporting probation, furthermore you will be required to complete a substance abuse course, which includes a psychosocial consultation.
The Point System in Florida
If you are convicted of any traffic violation in Florida points will be accessed to your driver’s license. If you accumulate a lot of points within a specific time your driver’s license can be canceled, suspended or revoked. 12 points accumulated in 12 months will result in a 30 day suspension of your drivers license.