As the holidays approach, people have more time off to spend with family and friends. With more time for socializing, people often increase their consumption of alcohol. While you may feel like you can still drive responsibly, many people have made that same assumption with tragic outcomes.

If you have been arrested for drunk driving, you need the experience of a Joliet DUI defense lawyer to represent you.

Holiday DUI Statistics

Drunk driving is an increasing concern during the holiday season. While you may think that you will never drive impaired, it is easy to lose track of your alcohol consumption during the holidays.

Being charged with a DUI in the state of Illinois carries harsh penalties. While a driver’s age, blood alcohol content (BAC), and transporting minors will play a major part in determining punishment, prior convictions will result in more severe penalties. 

Our Joliet DUi defense attorneys are here to offer representation for individuals who have been convicted of a felony charge or aggravated DUI.

Revocation of Driving Privileges 

There are different penalties for those who test above the legal limit to drive (meaning your BAC is 0.08 grams per deciliter or higher) and for those who refuse chemical testing. As a licensed driver in Illinois, you automatically consent to a chemical test of your blood, breath, or urine to evaluate your blood alcohol level. 

Illinois law considers a driver to be intoxicated per se, or intoxicated according to the law, if he or she has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or greater. A blood alcohol concentration of over the legal limit is not always required for a drunk driving arrest, but having a BAC over the limit will certainly make it much harder to beat a DUI charge.

There are two main ways that police officers and prosecutors demonstrate a driver's intoxication level: breath alcohol tests and blood alcohol tests. Blood testing is generally considered to be he most reliable way to determine a person's blood alcohol concentration. However, it is possible for a blood alcohol test to be incorrect.

Contamination of the Blood Sample

Blood alcohol tests involve using a syringe to draw a small quantity of blood from a person's body. Next, the blood is tested in a laboratory to determine the amount of alcohol in the sample. If the blood sample is contaminated, this can throw off the results. For example, if the person who administers the blood test uses an alcohol swab to clean the area and does not let the alcohol dissipate before conducting the blood draw, some of the alcohol may get into the blood sample, artificially increasing BAC.

Getting charged and convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) can have wide-ranging and adverse effects on someone’s life. Often, these effects can have long-lasting consequences for the person’s personal and professional life. Sometimes, when someone is charged with DUI, they are under the impression that all hope is lost and that a conviction is practically inevitable. However, you may be pleased to know this is not always the case. 

No matter what your preconceived notions are, DUI charges can be beaten in some cases. Today, we will discuss the most important considerations for individuals who have been charged with DUI and are looking to avoid a conviction. The first step in fighting a DUI charge is hiring an experienced attorney. Your attorney will work to ensure that all relevant strategies are implemented so that you can have a fair chance at beating the charges and moving on with your life. 

Defending Against a DUI 

After you have hired an experienced DUI lawyer who understands the legal system and the charges against you, it is time to begin building your strategy to fight the DUI charges.

A 53-year-old Joliet man landed in the Will County Jail after Joliet police said he was pulled over for improper lane usage. The man had a revoked driver’s license for previous DUI arrests. When you are facing possible repeat DUI charges in Illinois, you absolutely must invest in retaining legal counsel as soon as possible.

Prosecutors handling repeat DUI cases are seeking convictions and want to ensure that alleged offenders will be punished accordingly. You will need proven legal help in defending yourself against what are, in many cases, felony charges.

Repeat DUI Penalties in Illinois

The good news is that, so long as a case does not involve any aggravating factors, first and second DUI convictions in Illinois are usually Class A misdemeanors punishable by fines of up to $2,500 and/or up to one year in jail. The problem becomes that a third or fourth DUI offense is a Class 2 felony, a fifth offense is a Class 1 felony, and a sixth or subsequent offense is a Class X felony.