Losing Your License Over a DUI

Answer:

The first question everybody always asks when they get a DUI is, “Am I going to lose my license?” There are a couple ways you can look at this. One, you could potentially lose your license. If your BAC was 0.08 to 0.14, you’re going to lose it for six months. If it’s 0.15 or more, you can lose it for two years. However, you can ask for a modified license in which they put a breath interlock device in your car during those periods of time. Then you can drive as long as you blow in the interlock device before you start the car and have no BAC. If you refuse to take the test when you’re asked to by an officer after initially being pulled over, then you’re immediately going to lose your license for two years. You’re not going to be able to drive for two years or you’ll have to use a breath interlock device to drive for those two years.You may be wondering if you can drive a company vehicle or will you have to put the interlock device in your company car. The answer is no. You have to put the breath interlock device into your personal car. Then you need to advise your employer that you have a DUI. He’ll have to send a letter to the Department of Public Safety saying that he agrees to let you drive his car even though you have a DUI. That’s how you get around that. That’s the worst-case scenario. The best-case scenario is that we find out from the dash cam, or from the investigative officer’s report that they didn’t follow the procedures. That the breathalyzer was administered to you inappropriately and not by protocol, or that the officer stopped you without probable cause. If those things happen, then we can keep your license. It’s difficult to win on those cases, but we have done it.