Our DUI defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center have experience litigating DUI, DWI and OUI charges in Oklahoma. Contact our defense attorneys today for legal help.
Most people know that driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) above the legal limit for the state is likely to result in a drunk driving arrest. However, few people are aware of the additional situations in which DUI charges may be brought, including those in which the driver has a BAC below the legal limit. Drunk driving laws in Oklahoma can be confusing, especially for an individual without a legal background in DUI defense. If you have been charged with drunk driving in Oklahoma City, don’t sit still and accept the charge without fighting it. Contact our criminal defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today.
Oklahoma Drunk Driving Laws
Driving under the influence, more commonly referred to as drunk driving or DUI, is the act of operating a motor vehicle with a BAC above the legal limit established by Oklahoma law. The state of Oklahoma has set the legal limit at .08% for adults, which represents 8/100ths of one percent by weight of alcohol to the weight of blood. This is translated into grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood in blood tests or urine samples, and into grams of alcohol per 210 liters of air in “breathalyzer” tests. In some cases, even sitting in a non-moving vehicle without the ignition on can result in a drunk driving charge, although it’s typically qualified as being “drunk in and about a vehicle.”
Traffic and DUI Charges
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is hazardous and can put the life of the impaired driver and other motorists and passengers in serious danger. For this reason, DUI laws in Oklahoma are strict; convictions for drunk driving cases can range from a license suspension to hefty fines and jail time, depending on the circumstances of the case. More severe penalties are typically assigned to DUI cases involving a high BAC (over .15%), a passenger under the age of fifteen, or those involving serious bodily injury or a fatal crash. In many cases, a DUI conviction in Oklahoma also results in an increase in your insurance premium, or may even cause your insurance carrier to drop your policy, forcing you to obtain more expensive insurance coverage.
Legal BAC Limit in Oklahoma
Blood alcohol content is the measure of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream, which can be determined by administering a breathalyzer test. In Oklahoma, the legal limit for driving under the influence of alcohol is .08%, which means that a BAC reading of .08% of more on a breathalyzer test indicates that the driver is considered intoxicated under Oklahoma law. If you are under the age of twenty-one, operating a vehicle with any measurable amount of alcohol in your system will result in the revocation of your driver’s license, even if you are not convicted of a DUI in court.
Unfortunately, even if your blood alcohol content is below .08%, you can still face DUI penalties in the state of Oklahoma, where a person with a BAC as low as .05% can be charged with impaired driving. In Oklahoma, the penalty for operating a vehicle with a BAC of between .05% and .08% is a $100 fine or six months in jail. Your license will also be suspended for up to a year, depending on the existence of any prior suspensions.
Oklahoma’s Implied Consent Laws
If you are stopped by a police officer in Oklahoma who suspects that you have been drinking, you will be asked to take a breathalyzer test. Oklahoma law dictates that, if you are operating a motor vehicle, you have given what is known as “implied consent” to be tested by an officer if you are suspected of a DUI. Therefore, refusal to take a breathalyzer test will result in the immediate suspension of your driver’s license, even if you have not been drinking, and could also result in your arrest for a DUI offense. Depending on your driving record, the revocation of your license could last anywhere from 180 days to three years.
Contact Our DUI Defense Attorneys Today
Being convicted of a DUI in Oklahoma comes with harsh penalties that can severely affect your personal life, your finances and your future employment. If you have been unfairly charged with drunk driving in Oklahoma, contact our experienced DUI defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center for legal guidance. It is important to have a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer on your side when facing drunk driving charges in Oklahoma – one who will protect your rights and ensure that your case is handled fairly and honestly. Understanding Oklahoma DUI laws and courtroom proceedings can be a challenge, and hiring a qualified attorney with a successful background in litigating DUI cases can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.