If you plan on having a couple drinks after work and then driving home, Virginia is not the place to do that. Anyone who thinks that getting charged with DUI for the first time is no big deal, is totally and completely wrong. The courts are focused on ensuring that people understand that drinking and driving in Virginia is a serious offense. Just ask a Traffic Attorney in Warrenton.
Virginia has a blood alcohol content limit (BAC) of 0.08%. Generally speaking, the less you weigh, the less you can drink before you are legally drunk. One drink is one beer, one glass of wine or one shot of liquor.
- If you weigh 120 pounds, you will be an impaired driver after your first drink and legally drunk after your second.
- If you weigh 180 pounds, driving is unsafe after two drinks and illegal after four.
This doesn’t mean that everyone who weighs 180 pounds can have four drinks and safely drive home. Drinking one after another raises the BAC quickly. The liver can only metabolize about one drink per hour. If three drinks are consumed in an hour, the alcohol from two drinks will be circulating in the blood. An experienced Traffic Attorney in Warrenton will be aware of the factors than can affect blood testing.
Drivers of commercial vehicles fall under even stricter BAC laws. They are legally drunk if their BAC is 0.04%. In other words, they will be subject to arrest after two beers. A DUI conviction would cost them their careers – a pretty high price to pay for two beers.
None of this applies to drivers under 21, under the legal age to drink. For under 21 drivers, the BAC is only 0.02%. In effect, this means that any driver under 21 who drinks and drives will be considered legally drunk.
A first DUI conviction is a Class 1 Misdemeanor and a permanent part of your criminal record, accompanied by fines up to $2,500, a one-year license suspension and possible jail time. This will cost jobs, housing opportunities and very high insurance rates. Young drivers may also lose college admissions.
Someone arrested for DUI in Virginia should immediately consult a Traffic Attorney in Warrenton. Gayheart & Willis have represented many drivers, using their knowledge to obtain the best possible outcomes. Contact their office to talk to a very experienced Traffic Attorney in Warrenton.
