Tampa DUI Lawyer Blog
Drinking and driving in the great state of Florida has some pretty steep consequences.
Wallet Hub compiled a ranking of the strictest and most lenient states in the U.S. with DUI penalties and Florida took the No. 14 spot.
The strictest state in the country is Arizona, followed by Georgia, Alaska, Oklahoma and Nebraska while South Dakota, the District of Columbia, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Vermont were the most lenient.
According to the site, the data was found by examining 15 categories including minimum jail time, minimum fines, and average insurance rate increase after an arrest. The overall findings showed that the average fine for a first DUI is $347. Wallet Hub also reports that 92 percent of states “require offenders to equip their vehicles with Ignition Interlock devices after DUI.”
In Florida, there is no minimum jail time sentence for a first-time conviction. A second conviction mandates a 10 day minimum time. A DUI becomes a felony after the third offense with older DUI offenses factoring into penalties for up to 10 years.
DUIs are no joke, and as this study highlights, Florida takes DUI offenses very seriously. Even if you are facing your first offense, you could be looking at some pretty stiff penalties. That is why it is very important to get legal help as soon as possible after your arrest. Our Florida DUI Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can investigate your case right away in order to identify any police errors that could result in your case being dismissed. We will look at all of the evidence stacked against you so that we can establish the best defense strategy for your situation.
Your initial consultation with us is completely free and confidential. Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online to learn more about what we can do to protect your rights and safeguard your future.