Colorado Springs Criminal Defense Attorneys

Are Colorado DUI Laws the Toughest in the Country?

November 3, 2016

Our DUI lawyer knows that Colorado has some strict laws when it comes to driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It’s no wonder, though, since nearly 10,000 people died in drunk driving accidents in 2014. But how do the laws in Colorado measure up to the rest of the country? It turns out, Colorado is relatively middle-of-the-road when it comes to DUI laws.

Nationwide, anything above a .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) is considered drunk driving. Colorado institutes harsher punishments for those who are found to be driving with a .17 or above BAC. Most states have similar limits at .15 or .16, so Colorado has just a slightly higher limit there. Some states including Tennesee and Florida set their increased penalty BAC limits at .20.

When it comes to punishments and penalties, Colorado is fairly average as well. First-time offenders can look forward to having a suspended license for three months. That’s the same for the majority of states, which also have the same repeat offender laws that we do which severely increases the punishments for those who are caught drunk driving on more than one occasion. Most states are trying to crack down on drunk driving by passing stricter laws and increasing the penalties. The State of Montana was threatened with the loss of government funding when they were slow to act on their lenient laws, which until recently meant you could drive when an open container in the car.

While Colorado’s DUI laws might be pretty average for the rest of the country, that doesn’t mean they don’t take prosecuting them very seriously. If you are being investigated for a DUI or have already been charged, you need to hire an experienced DUI lawyer in Colorado Springs. Give us a call for a free consultation today.

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