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How much do DUI penalties jump for a second offense?

| Aug 17, 2017 | Firm News, Underage Drinking |

You already got one DUI. It happened six months ago, after you’d been out at the bar with your friends. You had a glass of water and thought you were safe to drive, but you blew just over the legal limit when you were pulled over.

Now you’re wondering what happens if you get a second DUI. How much do the penalties jump?

For the first offense, you could be looking at as much as a year behind bars, though that’s the maximum. Your fine was at least $300, but it could have been as much as $1,000. In addition, you had to do at least 40 hours of community service, you lost your license for as long as 12 months, and you had to pay a license reinstatement fee of $210.

If you thought that was bad, it could get a lot worse for the next one — if you get it in the next five years. You have to go to jail for at least 48 hours. You could see anywhere from 90 days to 12 months behind bars. The minimum fine doubles to $600, though the maximum stays the same — right at $1,000.

Plus, you must do at least 30 days of community service and you still have to pay that $210 to get your license back. You won’t have to pay that for three years, though, because that’s how long you lose your license the second time around.

On top of everything else, you have to go to a clinical evaluation. If they decide you should be in a substance abuse program, you have to go to it, pay for it yourself and complete it.

As you can see, getting that second DUI is no joke under Georgia’s drinking and driving laws. If you’ve been accused, be sure you know your rights and your legal options.

Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, “Georgia’s Impaired Driving Laws & Penalties,” accessed Aug. 17, 2017

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