If you live in or are planning to move to Ohio, then it’s important to be aware of the state’s DUI laws. While many people are conscientious when consuming alcohol, and claim to never operate a vehicle while under the influence, they may be unaware of their actual blood alcohol level.
Since the only way to ensure that you’re not driving under the influence is to refrain from consuming any alcohol, if you do choose to drink and drive, it’s important to be apprised of the DUI laws in Ohio.
The term, OVI, or “operating a vehicle under the influence,” is commonly used by Ohio law enforcement. This is the same as a DUI, or “driving under the influence,” which is used in other states.
Since DUI laws in Ohio include an implied consent law, if you refuse to take a chemical, or breathalyzer, test to determine your BAC, or blood alcohol content, your license will be automatically suspended. If you’re under 21, then your BAC limit is .02%.
You may also be subject to a fine if you refuse to take a chemical test. OVI fines for this in Ohio range from $250-to-$1,000.
If you commit a DUI offense, your license could be suspended for six months. Furthermore, you could also be without a license for as long as three years.
If this is your first DUI offense in Ohio, you may also be required to pay $450 to have your license reinstated. Furthermore, even if this is your first offense, you may still receive six points on your license.
Additional DUI laws in Ohio following an OVI conviction include a possible Administrative License hearing. In some cases, your license may be suspended until after this hearing.
If you are convicted of a DUI, you may also have to serve jail time. This could be from three days up to six months. Depending upon the number of convictions you’ve had, and if you caused an accident where others were injured or died, you would face additional jail time.
There are a few situations where you may enter a plea bargain. When you find a DUI attorney, they will provide counsel on this as well as provide other vital information. One situation where your DUI attorney may enter a plea bargain is if he or she determines that a “wet reckless” plea might be accepted. Basically, this means that you are admitting to reckless driving that involves alcohol.
A second type of plea bargain may be entered if you challenge the results of your blood alcohol test. In this instance, your DUI lawyer may review the results of your tests. Your defense attorney may also analyze videos and contact witnesses to help your case. Furthermore, your attorney will conduct research to determine if there are any new DUI laws that impact your situation.
A third type of plea bargain might be recommended if these conditions are met:
- Your blood alcohol content was borderline legal
- You did not cause an accident
- You have no prior record
If your case goes to court, and it is determined that the breathalyzer, blood, and urine tests weren’t properly administered, they may be inadmissible.
There are approximately one-in-seven licensed drivers in the state of Ohio that have had a least one OVI conviction, which exceeds 1.1 million individuals. According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, there are 44,789 individuals within the state with five or more OVI convictions.
If you are arrested for an OVI, you are going need to find a good DUI attorney. The only acceptable alternative to this is following the DUI laws in Ohio and refrain from driving under the influence.
Be sure to remember that the police need to have probable cause to pull you over. If you’re not driving after consuming alcohol, and there are no witnesses claiming you are too drunk to drive, other behaviors to avoid include any type of suspicious or erratic driving such as running red lights.
Be a cautious and considerate driver because it protects you, your passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers on the road. Furthermore, if you are convicted of a DUI, you’ll have a criminal record. This can adversely affect your employment and other future opportunities.