Virtually everyone in Kentucky who faces a charge of driving under the influence knows that our state has harsh penalties in store for those convicted.
In our state, a person can be convicted of DUI even if their blood alcohol content is below the legal threshold of 0.08 percent. And if they are found guilty of DUI, it can mean up to 30 days in jail, a driver’s license suspension, fines and mandated enrollment in a substance abuse program. However, according to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, Kentucky is still not doing enough to curb drunken driving.
The group recently gave Kentucky two stars out of a possible five it annually awards to states based on efforts to “eliminate drunk driving.” Here are those categories:
- Ignition interlock devices: because Kentucky doesn’t require first-time offenders to have these breathalyzer-style devices installed in vehicles, it doesn’t get a star in this category.
- Sobriety checkpoints: we do have these carried out by Kentucky police, so we get a star here.
- Administrative license revocation: no star here. MADD wants us to do more to empower our DMV to revoke driver’s licenses independent of criminal penalties a court decides on.
- Enhanced penalties for those who drive drunk with a minor in the vehicle: MADD rewards our state crackdowns on these drivers with a star.
- “No-refusal” events: these law enforcement events enable police to quickly obtain warrants to compel DUI suspects to submit against their wishes to blood tests. Kentucky does not get a star in this category.
Regardless of the respected group’s opinion of our DUI (aka DWI) efforts, punishment here can be swift and severe. Act quickly after you have been charged to do all you can to reduce or eliminate penalties you face. Speak with an experienced Marshall County DUI defense attorney to learn about your legal options.