Drinking and driving is a serious crime in Louisiana that carries significant penalties. Even if you are charged, the ramifications can be life-changing. These are the laws and some facts about drunk driving in the state.
What are Louisiana’s drinking and driving laws?
In Louisiana, it’s illegal to drive when you have a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. Even if you are not visibly impaired while driving, if a police officer pulls you over and asks you to take a breath test and your BAC is above the legal limit, you can be arrested and charged with drunk driving. In this case, if you are not visibly impaired, you could receive a charge of per se driving while intoxicated (DWI).
The state also has zero-tolerance laws when it comes to individuals under the age of 21 driving with any level of alcohol in their system.
What are the penalties for drunk driving?
If a person is charged and convicted of DWI, the penalties they face depend on the facts of the case and whether they have any prior offenses within the past 10 years. If a person is seriously injured or killed, the penalties are more severe.
For a first offense, you could face 10 days to six months in jail and be required to pay a fine ranging from $300 to $1,000. It’s also possible for your driver’s license to be suspended during the probation period.
For a second DWI conviction, you can face 30 days to six months in jail, a fine of $750 to $1,000 and a six-month license suspension during the probation period.
A third offense can result in one to five years in jail, a $2,000 fine and a license suspension along with probation and court-ordered alcohol treatment.
Drunk driving charges are serious and require fast help.
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