You probably know it's illegal to drive a car if you are drunk. But did you know that you can be convicted of DUI for having a drug such as Benadryl in your system? Or that the alcohol limits are different depending on your age and driver's license type? Atlanta drivers may face several different charges for driving under the influence, such as:
- Standard Alcohol DUI: Legally, this is known as a "Per Se DUI". This means if you are age 21 or older, it is illegal to operate a vehicle if your blood alcohol level is .08 grams or above. Your blood alcohol level can be tested via your breath, blood or urine at the time you are arrested. The results of these tests will be used against you in court.
- CDL Alcohol DUI: If you are driving with a Commercial Driver's License, the blood alcohol limit is .04 grams. Just like with the "Standard" alcohol DUI, your level can be tested at the time of arrest and the results used against you in court.
- Less Safe DUI: If it can be proven that you were "less safe" as a driver as a result of consuming alcohol (even if you are under the legal limit), over-the-counter medication, prescription drugs, or inhalants, you can be charged with DUI.
- Underage DUI: If you are under age 21, it is illegal to operate a vehicle if your blood alcohol level is .02 grams or above (basically any detectable amount of alcohol) or if there is any trace of controlled substances in your system. If tests demonstrate your BAC was over .02, there doesn't have to be any evidence that you were actually impaired or "less safe" for you to be found guilty.
- Marijuana or Controlled Substance DUI: It is illegal for you to operate a vehicle if you are found to have any amount of marijuana or any other controlled substance in your bloodstream. Just like with alcohol, blood test can be taken to demonstrate your blood levels of controlled substances.
Each of these charges is defined in a specific way and carries different penalties. We have included a series of articles that discuses each of these charges in more depth. If you have been charged with any of these offenses and want to learn more the charges and penalties, please give Lawson and Berry a call.