Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
The 2010 Illinois DUI Fact Book states that a driver is legally considered to be under the influence if they have a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or more, have used any illegal substance, or are impaired by medication. If charged with Chicago drunk driving or DUI/DWI in Illinois, you need to speak with an Illinois DUI lawyer.
Illinois DUI Lawyer Identifies: Penalties and Fines for First Illinois DUI Offense
You could be facing serious consequences! Contact an Illinois DUI Lawyer for help. If convicted of a DUI in the State of Illinois, the first offense will result in a minimum one year Illinois driver’s license suspension, possible imprisonment for up to one year, a maximum fine of $2,500 and suspension of vehicle registration.
The following additional penalties and fines may apply:
- If the driver was transporting a person under the age of 16 at the time of the violation, they are subject to an additional mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 along with 25 days of community service and possible imprisonment of up to six months.
- If the driver was transporting a child under age 16 and involved in a crash that resulted in bodily harm to the child, a mandatory fine of $2,500 and 25 days of community service apply, along with possible imprisonment of one to three years and additional fines of up to $25,000.
- If the driver had a BAC of .16 or more, a mandatory minimum fine of $500 and mandatory minimum 100 hours of community service applies.
Illinois DUI Lawyer Identifies: Underage Penalties and Fines for First DUI Offense
Chicago drunk driving and Illinois penalties can be severe. If convicted of a DUI in the State of Illinois, the first offense will result in a minimum two year driver’s license suspension, possible imprisonment for up to one year, a maximum fine of $2,500 and suspension of vehicle registration. Remedial education and retesting may be required prior to reinstatement of driving privileges for those under age 18.
The “Use It & Lose It” zero tolerance law applies to any driver under the age of 21 who has any trace of alcohol in their system or refuses to submit to chemical testing. The first offense for a BAC of more than .00 consists of suspended driving privileges for three months. For refusal to submit or failure to complete testing, the suspension of driving privileges is six months. Under the “Use It & Lose It” law, a police officer also may initiate a DUI arrest based on field sobriety tests or additional evidence.
Illinois DUI Lawyer Identifies: Statutory Summary Suspension
A statutory summary suspension is a suspension of driving privileges by the Illinois Secretary of State to a driver arrested for a Chicago drunk driving or Illinois DUI who fails, refuses to submit to, or fails to complete chemical testing. Failing a chemical test indicates a person’s BAC was .08 or above or that the test showed a trace of other drugs. Statutory summary suspensions are automatic, beginning 46 days after the date of the arrest. The length of suspension varies from six months to three years.
Illinois DUI Lawyer Identifies: Monitoring Device Driver’s Permits
An Illinois driver who is defined as a first time DUI offender and has had their driver’s license suspended, is automatically eligible for a Monitoring Device Driver’s Permit (MDDP). These permits are issued by the Secretary of State and do not restrict the driver as to time or purpose of driving. An offender will be required to have a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) installed on their vehicle (at the driver’s expense) as a condition of driving relief during statutory summary suspension. It is presumed the driver will accept the Monitoring Device Driver’s Permit, but the permit is not mandatory and may be declined by the driver.