Out of State Drivers and Howard County DUIs
Out of state drivers receiving DUIs in Howard County can sometimes result in complex cases. The difficulty is that if someone is found guilty, under the new Maryland law, a person is required to have an interlock device installed in their car. The problem is, the person can only have an interlock if they are a Maryland licensed driver. The only thing that is going to happen is the person is going to be suspended and lose their license. There are some unusual aspects and problems that arise if somebody is out of state and gets convicted of a DUI, so talk to a professional Howard County DUI lawyer for more information.
DUI Trends in Howard County
Every county has its own approach towards DUIs. Howard County has a variety of wealthy residents and they focus on keeping the roads and areas safe for its residents, which means controlling DUIs, or the people who are driving while under the influence.
This county is also treatment oriented. They focus on getting people on the drug alcohol classes, getting them into programs, going into meetings, things that help people but there is always the component of punishment that goes along with consequences for any action.
0.08% BAC Information
The whole concept of 0.08% as a legal limit is a misnomer and a misunderstanding of the law because 0.08% is not the limit for someone to drive. People could still get alcohol drinking and driving offenses at a 0.08%, 0.06%, or 0.05%. The difference is, at 0.08%, people are presumptively unfit to drive. Meaning, if the person blows 0.08% or higher, then they are automatically guilty because they cannot be driving.
If somebody blows under the limit, it does not mean that they are okay to drive, it means that it is a judgment call based upon everything else. For someone who drinks a lot and heavily, 0.08 will not affect them, but if someone who rarely drinks, who does not feel the effects of alcohol very frequently, at a 0.07%, 0.06%, or even a 0.05%, they could have problems with coordination and balance such that they are impaired and can have an alcohol-related offense such that they can lose their license, get arrested – all the same consequences. It is the matter of the totality.
In some states, there are even three categories of alcohol-driving offenses. It does not matter. What matters is, a person is required to know the laws of the state in which they are driving, so a person cannot claim ignorance of the law as a defense. If a person does not want to abide by Maryland’s laws, they should not drive in Maryland. Out of state driving and Howard County DUIs can get complicated.
How a Local Attorney Can Help
Even if a person lives out of state, there are still things they must abide by. There are efforts they can take even in their home state, although typically Howard County judges want to see somebody attend a Maryland state certified program. If somebody lives in Florida, it is unfeasible and impractical to have them do so.
The attorney can help them find something comparable in their home state or explore other options to put them in a better light before appearing before the judges in the Howard County courts. Plus, an attorney can help try to help salvage their driving ability and license in the event of an out of state driver getting a DUI in Howard County.