Just like drinking alcohol can be a difficult habit to break, the habit of drinking and driving can be hard to kick. Although the penalties for DUIs increase for repeat offenses, second and third offenses are not uncommon. Drinking alcohol suppresses a person’s ability to reason, so when people drink, they tend to make decisions based upon what is most important to them at the present moment. Also, many people who consume alcohol feel as though they are less intoxicated than they actually are, and they choose to drive because they think that they can do so safely. Whatever the reason for a person’s decision to drive after consuming alcohol, if they are stopped by a law enforcement official and are subsequently charged for driving under the influence of alcohol, it is important that they understand the possible penalties and long term consequences of a Texas DUI conviction.

In Texas, drivers who are twenty one years of age or older can expect that certain penalties will be considered in their case. For a first offense, you may have to pay a fine of up to two thousand dollars and serve three to one hundred and eighty days of jail time. Your license may be suspended for up to two years, and when you are able to get it back, you may have to pay a surcharge of up to two thousand dollars per year for up to three years in order to keep it. There is also the possibility that you could be required to attend a DUI education program and/or install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle, depending upon whether there were any other factors associated with your DUI that would make those penalties applicable.

For your second offense, the fine could be up to four thousand dollars, and the jail time is between one month and one year. The license suspension period, surcharge, and possibility of additional requirements is the same as it is for a first offense. If you are charged with DUI for a third time, you could be assessed a fine of up to ten thousand dollars and two to ten years in state prison. Your license may be suspended for up to two years, and the same requirements for a reinstatement surcharge and possible DUI education and/or ignition interlock apply, just as they do for any other DUI offense.

There are factors which could increase the penalties in your DUI case. For example, if you had a passenger in your vehicle who was under the age of fifteen, you will pay a fine of up to ten thousand dollars, serve up to two years in jail, and receive a one hundred and eighty day license suspension. If you caused serious bodily injury or death as a result of driving while intoxicated, you may face felony charges. Minors and commercial drivers have different penalties than adult, non-commercial drivers, so if you are a minor or a commercial driver it is important that you learn about the penalties which would apply to you.

While it is important to understand the penalties that you may be subject to if you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol in Texas, it is also important that you understand the potential long term impacts of a DUI conviction. In addition to making qualifying for employment, housing, and education opportunities more difficult, your conviction is likely to result in a large increase in your automobile insurance costs. If you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a skilled East Texas DUI defense attorney can help you to increase your chances of avoiding a DUI conviction and the consequences that would go along with it, and help you to achieve the best possible outcome in your case under the circumstances. To learn more, call Texas DUI Attorney Alex Tyra today to schedule your free consultation. We can be reached at (903) 753-7499, or you may visit our website to submit a convenient online contact form.