Utah’s new DUI Law dropped the BAC (blood alcohol concentration) level from 0.08% to 0.05% in January of this year. I have posted about the new law several times.
The Utah Highway Patrol recently released some statistics from January of this year regarding the 0.05% DUI Arrests.
According to the Deseret News:
A total of 844 people were arrested for investigation of DUI in January, the UHP stated. As for the 38 who were arrested under the .05 percent law, only four were arrested solely for investigation of DUI, Street said. That means even under the old .08 percent law, the other 34 would have still have faced additional charges.
The Utah Highway Patrol believes a more significant statistic is the fact there were 134 alcohol-related crashes during the first month of 2019 resulting in 59 injuries and one death, the lowest number in at least four years.
The previous years’ statistics in Utah for alcohol related crashes were according to the Desert News:
• 166 alcohol-related crashes in January 2016 resulting in 88 injuries and three deaths.
• 150 alcohol-related crashes in January 2017 resulting in 78 injuries and one death.
• 150 alcohol-related crashes in January 2018 resulting in 84 injuries and two deaths.
If you get arrested for DUI and blow a BAC of 0.05% or less or blow anything higher I can help. There are several things I can examine regarding the state’s evidence in your DUI arrest:
- Police reports
- Field sobriety test results
- Reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing necessary to support the traffic stop
- Probable cause to suspect drunk driving necessary to support the arrest
- Timing and substance of Miranda warnings
- Procedures used to administer breath or blood tests
Increasing Penalties For Multiple Davis County DUI Charges
In Utah, DUI penalties increase if you have had prior convictions within the previous 10 years. In most cases, first and second offenses are charged as misdemeanors, unless there is a serious injury or fatality resulting, and the third offense is charged as a felony DUI. Regardless, Salt Lake City DUI penalties can be harsh no matter how many prior convictions you have had:
- First-offense: 48 hours in jail or community service; 120 days license suspension; 24 months no-alcohol conditional license (not permitted to drive with ANY amount of alcohol in system); up to $1,885 fine; ignition interlock for 18 months
- Second-offense: 240 hours/10 days in jail or community service; two-year license suspension; 10 years no-alcohol conditional license; up to $1,885 fine; mandatory ignition interlock for three years
- Third-offense (felony): up to five years in prison with a minimum 62 and a half days in jail; three-year license suspension; 10 years no-alcohol conditional license; $1,500-$5,000 fine; ignition interlock for six years
- “Not a Drop” under 21 years old: Penalties for persons under 21 years old are severe, including suspension of license until age 21 in addition to fines and jail sentences
We Fight For Your Rights At Your DUI Hearing. Call Us Today.
Call Greg S. Law at 801-428-1029 in metro Salt Lake City or 888-784-3554 toll free.
To learn more about the ways an experienced Salt Lake City DUI hearing attorney can help you maintain the right to drive while highlighting the prosecution’s evidentiary problems in your criminal case, contact Greg S. Law, for a free consultation.
Photo and Source: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900048812/uhp-makes-first-05-dui-arrest-since-new-utah-law-began.html / https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900063672/utah-highway-patrol-sees-early-success-with-05-dui-law.html /