Atlanta DUI Lawyer

The stakes are higher for commercial drivers, because their job is on the line.  Trucking companies can fire you if you are convicted of a DUI or your insurance rates might skyrocket.  Do not let a DUI conviction stop you from earning a living.  An arrest does not mean you are guilty of a DUI.

Commercial Driver’s License DUI

While it is true the legal limit in Georgia for drivers over 21 is a BAC of 0.08%, the legal limit for commercial drivers is a BAC of 0.04%.  It doesn’t matter if you were driving a commercial vehicle at the time of the arrest or not.  If you are arrested for a DUI, your CDL and your regular license could be suspended for one year [for a first DUI].  If this is your second DUI, your license can be suspended for life.

First DUI Penalties:

• $300-$1,000 fine plus any statutory charges
• 10 days to 12 months in jail (the judge may suspend all but 24 hours)
• Suspended license for up to one year
• $210 fee for license reinstatement
• DUI Alcohol or Drug Risk Reduction program and all associated costs
• Minimum of 40 hours of community service
• Possible imprisonment of up to one year
• No limited driving permit allowed

Second DUI Penalties:

As measured from the dates of previous arrests for which convictions were obtained or pleas of nolo contendere were accepted to the date of the current arrest for which a conviction is obtained or a plea of nolo contendere is accepted, within the previous ten years

• $600-$1,000 fine plus any statutory charges
• 12 months active probation
• 90 days to 12 months in jail (the judge may suspend all but 72 hours)
• 12 months “hard suspension” (total loss of driving privileges for the first 12 months)
• 18 months mandatory suspension before eligible for probationary license.  If it is a second conviction within five years, you can expect a three-year license suspension.  Eligible for reinstatement at the end of the 18-month period (regular driver’s license).
• License reinstatement fee. Reinstatement is possible after 18 months if you have completed DUI school, the clinical evaluation, and the treatment program.  As a condition of your license reinstatement, you must have an interlock ignition device installed in your vehicle for six months (regular driver’s license).
• DUI Alcohol or Drug Risk Reduction program and all associated costs
• Minimum of 240 hours of community service
• Photograph in the newspaper with a $25 notice fee
• Possible imprisonment for up to 1 year
• Possible CDL lifetime suspension
• No limited driving permit allowed
• Surrender license plates