A driving under the influence (DUI) conviction can create long-lasting consequences for both your criminal and driving record, which may rear its ugly head at the most inopportune times. You may have heard stories of individuals losing their employment or struggling to find new professional opportunities after such an incident. While you may feel grateful that you got to keep your job, you may now face the challenge of commuting to and from the workplace. This may be especially stressful if you have fines and other associated legal fees you are obligated to pay off. Under these circumstances, please read on to discover whether you can be granted privileges to drive to work after your DUI arrest and how one of the Prince George’s County DUI lawyers at Miller Berman, LLC can help you preserve this piece of independence.
What happens to my driver’s license after a DUI arrest?
During a traffic stop, if a breath test indicates that your blood-alcohol content level is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent, or if you refuse testing under Maryland’s implied consent law, it may prompt law enforcement to confiscate your physical driver’s license and issue a temporary paper license. With this, you may generally be allowed to drive legally, including to and from work, for up to 45 days.
Of note, Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Association (MVA) uses an administrative process for your driving privileges, separate from your criminal DUI case. This means that the MVA may rule to suspend your driver’s license before the criminal court makes an official verdict on your alleged DUI offense. The length of a suspension may vary depending on factors such as prior offenses, BAC level, and whether chemical testing was refused.
Am I still allowed to drive to work following my DUI arrest?
To reiterate, your temporary paper license may only last for 45 days. So before this timeframe passes, you must take quick action to ensure your driving rights can continue, especially for the sake of commuting to and from your workplace. You generally have only 10 days to request a hearing in order to preserve certain driving privileges, although hearing requests may still be possible for a limited additional period.
One possible positive outcome of this hearing would be receiving a restricted license that allows you to drive for limited purposes, such as getting to work, going to school, or attending important medical appointments. You may want to voluntarily opt into the ignition interlock device (IID) program to help support your request for restricted driving privileges. Essentially, this is an installation of a breathalyzer in your vehicle, which you must blow into and pass before the ignition can start.
In many DUI cases, participation in the IID program may eventually become a requirement or condition for retaining driving privileges. By willfully participating before your sentencing, you may demonstrate to the MVA and the court that you are committed to safe, sober driving from this point forward and that you care about keeping your standing commitments, like your employment. This could potentially be viewed favorably during proceedings.
While you may be remorseful and want to be accountable for the mistakes you made, you may not want these consequences to bleed into every aspect of your life, including your driving freedom. So, while you still have a chance to fight for this right, please contact one of the competent Prince George’s County criminal lawyers from Miller Berman, LLC.
