Florida Drunk Driving Offenses, Penalties and Records

To curb the menace of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI), which poses a great threat to the safety of the public in the various Florida roads and highways, Florida State has enforced strict DUI and DWI laws. Florida DUI laws are extremely severe and impose stiff penalties on individuals who have been found guilty of a DUI offense. The DUI arrests along with the harsh penalties and disciplinary measures are essential to not only ensure normal behavior but also to promote safety of the citizens driving on the roads of Florida. The State Police Department of Florida and the Florida Department of Highway Security and Motor Vehicles (FDHSMV) work in co-ordination to limit drunk driving incidents in the state.

According to the DUI and DWI laws in Florida State, an individual whose blood alcohol concentration level or breath alcohol level, or the level of alcohol in the urine, is found to be 0.08% or more is considered legally intoxicated. In case of commercial vehicles operating on the Florida roadways, the cut off limit is set at 0.04%. The State Police in Florida can arrest the individual following which a notification of the suspension of the individual’s driver’s license or driving privileges is sent to the address of the offender that is in the records of the Florida Department of Highway Security and Motor Vehicles.

Upon receiving the notification on suspension of the driver’s license, the individual has ten days to file for a petition for a court hearing to prevent the suspension of his/her driver’s license and to protect his/her driving privileges. If the individual fails to contact the Florida Department of Highway Security and Motor Vehicles within the stipulated time, then the department can suspend the driver’s license of the individual for an indefinite period. Refusing to submit to a chemical test to detect the blood alcohol concentration level will also result in a DUI arrest in Florida and as a consequence of the arrest the individual can lose his/her driving privileges.

Thus it is vital for you to take the Florida DUI and DWI laws seriously. In addition, the Florida DUI and DWI records are available to the public. Any alcohol related serious driving offense is likely to remain in your driving records for at least 10 years. These DUI conviction records in Florida State can affect your career and the chances of your employment in the future.

Florida Drunk Driving Records

For more information on the DUI and DWI laws in Florida, DWI and DUI penalties, and to access the records available with the Florida Department of Highway Security and Motor Vehicles (FDHSMV), you can visit http://www.flhsmv.http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/gov/html/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/contact.html or contact at The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Neil Kirkman Building, 2900 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0500. Or send an email at publicrecords@flhsmv.gov.

For a list of all the county clerk’s offices you can visit http://www.flhsmv.gov/offices/

Penalties for Florida DUI and DWI

An individual found guilty of being legally intoxicated in Florida, can have his/her license suspended irrespective of whether it is the individual’s first, second or third DUI or DWI offense. The offender has a month’s time to apply for a hardship license form the Florida Department of Highway Security and Motor Vehicles.   If the individual has been convicted of a DUI or DWI offense for three consecutive times within a period of 10 years, then that individual is not eligible to apply for a hardship license. To be eligible for a hardship license in Florida an offender has to first enroll with the DUI School. For the reinstatement of the driver’s license, the offender has to take an examination. The fee for the reinstatement of the driver’s license is $ 35 along with an administrative fee of $115.

Non compliance to the chemical tests results in the suspension of the driver’s license for 1 year if it is the offender’s first DUI or DWI offense and can be up to 1.5 years for repeat offenses. In addition, refusal to submit to a chemical test for determining the level of alcohol concentration in breath or blood can result in the denial of a hardship license.

A judge in the Florida Court can order for the installation of the ignition interlock device in the offender’s automobile following a DUI or DWI arrest. The cost of installation and any additional surcharges have to be borne by the offender.

All Florida DUI or DWI arrests attract penalties in the form of paying a fine, serving a mandatory period in the jail or doing community service along with attending treatment programs on alcohol and drugs. For a first time offense the jail term is for 1 year, along with 50 hours mandatory community service and a fine of up to $ 1,000, or the offender can be placed under house arrest. The vehicle of the offender is impounded for duration of 10 days for a first offense. For a repeat conviction the fines and jail terms increase significantly.