How A DUI Conviction Affects Your Auto Insurance & Driving Privileges

Wisconsin has some of the strictest driving while intoxicated laws in the nation. If you are pulled over by the police and given a breathalyzer test where your blood alcohol level measures more than 0.08, then you are probably going to get a DUI ticket. While that is standard in many states, what makes Wisconsin unique is that the police can give you a DUI ticket if they observe you driving in a manner that indicates you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs without having to do any tests at all.

What Can You Be Charged With

The police can charge you with driving under the influence, commonly called DUI. They can also charge you with operating while intoxicated, commonly called OWI. The police can also charge you with driving while intoxicated, which is often abbreviated DWI.

DUI Charges in Wisconsin

If you plead guilty or take the case to court and a judge finds you guilty, you will have your driver’s license revoked for nine months on your first offense. You will also need to pay a fine ranging from $150 to $300.

If a judge finds you guilty again, you can face up to six months in jail. Additionally, you can forget about driving for the next year. While you are struggling to get around, you will have to earn money to pay the ticket, costing you up to $1,100.

While the judge has some leeway on the second offense, you will be going to jail for at least 45 days if you are found guilty of driving while intoxicated the third time. You could also need to raise $2,000 to pay for your ticket.

Assuming you did not learn your lesson and a judge finds you guilty again, then you will be locked up for 60 days and face at least a $600 ticket. If you have a person under the age of 16 in the vehicle or if it is the second time someone received injuries because of your drunk driving, the judge can lock you up for six years and make you pay a $20,000 fine.

If the police pick you up a fifth time, you might as well throw away the car keys because the judge can sentence you to you up to 10 years in prison. You will have to hustle to pay at least a $600 ticket, but the judge could make you pay up to $25,0000.

DUI and Your Car Insurance

While you may have to walk to your job to raise the money to pay your ticket, you may have to keep walking after your car’s insurance company contacts you. On average, you can expect your insurance rates to go up 75% after your first offense, and they are likely to continue to climb if you are arrested more than once for drunk driving.

Therefore, we recommend that everyone do the responsible thing and designate a responsible driver who does not drink for the night or call a taxi. If you failed and the police stopped you, give us a call. We want to be your experienced traffic defense attorney.