Louisiana is tough on people who choose to drink and drive. Why? If you look at the statistics, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration points out that 10,511 people were killed in drunk driving collisions in 2018. Those crashes were largely preventable.
Since drunk driving is such a problem in this nation, it is not surprising that the state is tough on those who are caught driving while intoxicated. Most people who are convicted for drunk driving in Louisiana will end up facing a jail sentence without a strong defense, and they may also have significant financial penalties to deal with.
What are the state’s DWI laws?
Louisiana has some basic DWI laws that you should know.
- The “per se” limit for blood alcohol content is .08%. With this BAC, the police need no other evidence of intoxication to pursue the DWI charge.
- The zero-tolerance limit is set at .02% for people under the legal drinking age.
- Aggravated penalties are possible if the driver’s blood alcohol concentration is .15% or greater at the time of the traffic stop.
- Drivers give implied consent to submit to the Breathalyzer test when they receive their licenses.
In Louisiana, a first offense can lead to the loss of your license for up to 90 days. A second offense may result in a suspension for up to a year. Third offenses could result in the loss of your license for up to three years.
Does Louisiana require alcohol education?
One thing the state does differently than some others is that it requires mandatory alcohol education, assessment and treatment for those convicted for driving under the influence. The goal is to get them the support and education needed to prevent a re-offense in the future.
If you are facing charges and are accused of driving while intoxicated, it’s important that you do understand how the charges could impact you and what to do to minimize the potential for jail time, the loss of your license or harsh financial penalties. There are possible defensive options that could help you reduce the penalties or have the charges dropped completely.
