30Jun 2015
Jun 30, 2015

What is ‘legally drunk’ in Indiana?

In Indiana, for drivers under the age of 21 years they are considered to be legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is more than .02, for non-commercial drivers above 21 years, the state considers them to be legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is more than .08. On the other hand, commercial vehicle drivers are legally drunk when blood alcohol level is more than .04

Indiana Drunk Driving Penalties

For first time DUI offenders they only face their driver’s license being suspended for a period of 3 months to 1 year. For offenders with previous a conviction that occurred less than 10 years but more than 5 years before faces a driver’s license suspension period of 6 months to 2 years.

For offenders with at least one previous DUI conviction, they face a prison term of not more than five days or at least 180 hours of community restitution or service. The offender must also undergo an alcohol assessment and attend a treatment program. The suspension period for the offender’s driver’s license is 1 to 2 years.

For offenders with at least two previous convictions, they face a jail sentence of not less than 10 days or at least 360 hours of community restitution or service. In addition, the offender must also undergo an alcohol assessment and attend a treatment program.

For commercial drivers convicted of a DUI offense, the offender is disqualified from operating a commercial vehicle for a period of one year. However, if the offender was driving a commercial vehicle that had hazardous material at the time of the offense, the disqualification period is three years. If the offender is convicted for a second time, he/she will be banned from driving a commercial vehicle for life.

For drivers under the age of 21 years, they face a  driver’s license suspension of up to one year and a fine of up to $500, if their BAC level was at least .02 but less than .08. For offender convicted with a BAC level that is more than .08, they me subjected to penalties applicable to adults.

The Point System in Indiana

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) gives points for any moving violation. Points vary depending on how serious the offense you were convicted for was.  For a DUI conviction you will get 8 points.

 

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