How to Access Maryland Drunk Driving Records

In the year 2008, 26% of all the deaths in the state of Maryland were due to traffic violations involving a blood alcohol concentration or BAC of 0.08 percent. One of the differences that Maryland drunk driving laws have with that of the other states, is that Maryland laws makes a distinction between Driving under the Influence or DUI and driving while intoxicated or DWI.  Normally, in all the states a BAC of 0.08 percent or more is considered the threshold limit for drunken driving. In Maryland too, a BAC of 0.08 percent or more prohibits a person from operating a vehicle under the DUI laws of the state. A BAC of 0.07 percent or more however results in DWI charges in Maryland.

For minors in the state (those below 21), a BAC of 0.02 percent will lead to the suspension of the driver’s license. The laws for minors are very rigid in Maryland and the state laws are not at all tolerant in this context. For commercial vehicle drivers, the maximum level of blood alcohol concentration that is legal, according to the state laws, is 0.04 percent.

Penalties

A first DUI conviction in Maryland leads to a jail sentence of up to one year and a fine of up to $1,000. The duration extends to up to two years and the amount of fine goes up to $2,000 if the convicted is a minor. The driver’s license is suspended for a minimum of six months.

A first DWI conviction on the other hand, may sentence the convicted with a jail sentence of up to two months and a fine of about $500. The duration of the jail sentence goes up to 6 months and the amount of fine goes up to $1,000 for a minor. In this case too, the driver’s license is suspended for a minimum of six months.

For subsequent DUI and DWI convictions in the state, the punishments are similar but harsher. The jail sentences may go up to three to four years, and the amount of fines may be as high as $4,000. The penalties for a DUI offense are more severe than those for a DWI offense in Maryland.

Refusal to take the preliminary blood tests or breathalyzer tests, upon the stopping of the vehicle on a DUI suspect, will also lead to the arrest of the driver and suspension of his/her driver’s license for 120 days on the first refusal, and for one year on a second refusal to take the tests.

For a detailed read on this matter, visit the official webpage of the state pf Maryland by copying the link http://www.mva.maryland.gov/Resources/DL-002A.pdf.

Records

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration maintains records of all Maryland drunk driving cases. You may want to view your own records for updating them. You may also want to expunge these records as a DUI record may jeopardize your employment prospects. You may request for a certified or a non-certified copy of the record. In case you want to view the records for employment background checks, you may subscribe to the Motor Vehicle Administration’s online service.

You may also access these records online by using your unique MVA pin number. Also, a copy of the records will be mailed to you within ten business days. The charges for a certified copy of the records are $412 while that for a copy of the non-certified records is $9. You may call the MVA at 1-800-950-1 MVA (1682). To view the driving records online go to https://secure.marylandmva.com/emvaservices/VRR/DrRec_Options.asp?sku=drrecord.