Penalties Under Kansas DUI Law

Driving under the influence is an offense in Kansas as in most other states. Trying to operate any kind of vehicle with a blood alcohol or blood breath concentration level of 0.08% is treated as a punishable offense under the specific laws of the state. Drivers found to exceed the limit substantially have greater penalties imposed on them which can include serving a longer jail time as well as being deprived of the privilege to drive legally.

DUI penalties become increasingly harsher with instances of repeated offenses. The enforcement authorities as well as the Kansas DUI Law are particularly intolerant of DUI offenders risking the lives of their underage passengers, especially if the minor happens to be below 14 years of age. An additional month of imprisonment needs to be served by such offenders, although the time can be served concurrently with other penalties as well.

DUI Involuntary Manslaughter Penalty

A bill passed by the Kansas Legislature in 1996 imposed strict penalties on persons convicted of unintentional manslaughter while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The state law of Kansas requires the convicted offender to serve an imprisonment period of 38 to 172 months. The law was further amended in 2000 which prescribes that the previous DUI history of the offender be taken into consideration while imposing penalty. Any conviction records of DUI in other states across the United States are counted against the offender convicted of manslaughter as well.

Ignition Interlocks

Every individual found guilty of committing a DUI offense under Kansas DUI law is required to install an interlock ignition device in the vehicle. The device measures the blood alcohol concentration of the driver and is disabled if the concentration levels exceed the maximum limit of 0.8%. The entire expenditure of the device as well as the cost involved for the installation needs to be paid by the vehicle owner. 

Penalties for DUI

DUI is considered to be a severe offense in the state of Kansas since it jeopardizes human safety. The punitive measures for instances of drunk driving have been further substantiated in order to discourage such incidents. The penalties imposed have increased considerably too, with the first time offender having to pay $500-$1000 as fines along with serving a jail time for a couple of days. First time conviction for drunk driving may include a 100 hour community service as well. The amount of the fine increases progressively with each subsequent offense with $2,500 being the specific fee amount for a fourth time offender. 

The driver’s license is suspended for a period of 30 days.  Driving privileges are withdrawn from a second and third time DUI offender by suspending his/her license for an entire period of one year. While the third offense amounts to a misdemeanor is most other states of America, it is considered to be a felony in the state of Kansas. The fifth offense, on the other hand, can result in complete suspension of the offender’s diving license. The state of Kansas further imposes a fine of $1,500 and 90 days of jail on individuals who refuse to take a breath test or provide the enforcement authorities with a blood sample.

Kansas DUI Laws for Underage Residents

The judicial system for Kansas categorizes the underage DUI offenders into two distinct classes. The minor or adolescent offender between 14-18 years of age is referred to the juvenile detention center instead of an adult incarceration facility on being convicted of DUI charges. The period of imprisonment is usually 10 days, a portion of which may be suspended at the discretion of the judge.

An offender aged 18-21, found guilty of the same offense, will be treated with greater severity by the judges of the Kansas courts. A blood alcohol concentration hovering between 0.2% and 0.79% is enough to convict an underage DUI individual. Driving privileges are suspended for a month if the offender has no previous record of being convicted on DUI charges before. Driving license suspension can increase to a year if the offender is convicted of the same offense for a second or third time.

Information about Kansas Driving Laws

All driving laws including the laws depicting various DUI offenses can be found at the official Internet resource of the Kansas Department of Transportation at http://kdotapp2.ksdot.org/ . The department can also be contacted by mail at Dwight D. Eisenhower State Office Building, 700 S.W. Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66603-3754. Telephone inquiries are also accommodated at (785) 296-3566. Sending an e-mail to the department at publicinfo@ksdot.org is another way of obtaining specific information about the DUI laws of Kansas.