Protect Yourself Against DUI Charges In South Carolina Over The Holiday Season
The holidays provide plenty of opportunities to get together with family and friends, and alcohol often plays a central role in these gatherings. While your goal may be to simply make the most of the season, overdoing it during the next few months can leave you facing serious consequences in the New Year. Police departments throughout South Carolina will be out in full force, ready to apprehend drivers suspected of being under the influence. Learn how to protect yourself against DUI charges in South Carolina over the holiday season.
Know The Laws When It Comes To DUI Charges In South Carolina
Driving under the influence is a serious crime in South Carolina—one that involves hefty fines, jail sentences, and numerous other potential penalties. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) advises motorists that there are a variety of charges you could end up facing in relation to alcohol consumption. These include:
Driving with an unlawful alcohol concentration (illegal per se). The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for operating a motor vehicle in the state is 0.08 percent. However, you can still be charged with driving under the influence with less than this amount. If a breathalyzer or blood tests shows you have a minimum 0.05 percent BAC, the officer could use other factors such as weaving on the road or your behavior when stopped as justification for placing you under arrest.
Operating a motor vehicle under the influence. If you test positive for a BAC of 0.08 percent and it is your first offense, you face fines up to $400, imprisonment up to 30 days, and a six month driver’s license suspension. If you have a previous DUI, you could be facing fines of more than $6,000, up to three years in jail, a two year driver’s license suspension, and confiscation of your vehicle.
Felony DUI. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident while under the influence you could face up to 25 years in jail, depending on the severity of the injuries suffered.
Open container. Even if your BAC is not over the limit, you could be charged and sentenced to 30 days in jail for having an open container in your vehicle.
In addition to these offenses, you could also face charges if you host a party and knowingly over serve guests, causing them to get a DUI or be involved in an accident.
Get Our Aiken DUI Attorneys On Your Side
As part of the state Sober or Slammer campaign, you can expect plenty of officers on the road and traffic checkpoints in areas where DUIs are known to occur. To protect yourself, be aware that even a few drinks could put you over the legal limit. When you go out, either limit your drinking or arrange other methods of transportation to get home. It’s imperative that you take these precautions to protect yourself against DUI charges in South Carolina this holiday season.
Contact Us
If you are pulled over and charged with DUI, the Surasky Law Firm, LLC provides the aggressive legal representation you need. To get our team fighting on your side, contact our Aiken DUI attorney and request a consultation today.
