Illinois DUI Laws

You might have only had a few drinks when you got behind the wheel, but it was only a short time before you saw flashing lights in your rearview mirror. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious criminal offense, and now, you might be worried about Illinois DUI laws and what you can do to avoid the drunk driving charges. 

If you’ve been accused of drinking and driving, it’s important to know the laws you’re facing, which can affect your future if you’re not careful. Play it safe by talking about Illinois drunk driving laws with a lawyer from Chicago Trusted Attorneys™. 

Legal Limits for Drinking and Driving in Illinois

When you’re pulled over for drinking and driving, it’s important to know the answers to one main question: When does a few drinks become driving intoxicated? 

The number of drinks you can have before you’re intoxicated varies, but what the police will look for is your blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, level. If the concentration of alcohol in your body is too high, you can be arrested for a DUI. 

In Illinois, the average driver can be arrested if their BAC is over 0.08 percent. However, that’s not the case for every driver. If you’re a commercial truck driver, for example, you might only need to test at 0.04 percent to be arrested. If you’re under twenty-one, any amount of alcohol detected in your bloodstream could lead to an arrest. 

Penalties for an Illinois DUI Conviction

Once you’re arrested, understanding the losses you’re facing is important. These penalties can be severe, and it’s important not to understate how serious the consequences of driving under the influence can be. 

For example, you could face jail time or, if your case involved aggravating factors, even prison time. That means you could spend months or years away from your family, friends, and your job. Even when your sentence is over, you might be living with the debt of your fines for a conviction, too. 

Losing your license and insurance coverage might hurt many drivers. If you’re unable to drive, you could be stuck without transport options to get you to school or work. If your insurance drops your coverage, you might struggle to get insurance even after you get your license back. 

These penalties can have major effects on your life, but you don’t have to accept them. If you’re accused of breaking DUI laws in Illinois, talk to your DUI attorney about what you can do about your case. 

Seek Out an Illinois DUI Lawyer

If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, you’ve been accused of breaking Illinois DUI laws. That could lead to major consequences if you’re convicted, and those consequences won’t be easy to overcome. 

Luckily, you don’t have to accept a conviction without fighting back. At Chicago Trusted Attorneys™, we’re ready to help you recover from your DUI arrest, understand the laws you’re accused of breaking, and seek out a dismissal for your case

Get started today, before your criminal trial, with an Illinois DUI lawyer. Give us a call at 312-519-3171, or fill out the following online form.