Effects of DUI on Your Commercial Driver's License

It is an obvious statement that professional drivers depend on their driver's license to make their livelihood.  Most states and companies consider driving as a privilege and treat it with high regard.  Many trucking companies have high standards regarding their employee's driving records and have strict punishment for anyone that does not keep to the rules.  The state of Washington also has some specific rules regarding Driving Under the Influence (DUI) for commercial drivers.

 

Washington State Definition of DUI

According to the laws of Washington, the acronym DUI covers any instance in which a person is driving a vehicle or a boat while they are influenced by alcohol or drugs.  The term drug applies to any and all drugs, even if the person has a valid prescription for them. 

Conformity with Federal Laws

Congress passed the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety act in 1986 to provide a uniform set of rules across the country regarding commercial vehicles.  All states were required to have rules that met a certain minimum in order to grant commercial licenses to its residents.  Several changes were made over the next few years with the most significant change occurring in 2002.  One of these changes is the new rule that states a commercial license can be disqualified for any DUI violation, even if the person is driving a personal vehicle.

 

Tighter Restrictions

According to the current law an adult is considered to be DUI if their Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is .08 or higher.  However, for a person with any commercial license, their BAC only has to be .04 to be considered DUI.  This is a clear indication that people who spend their working hours driving large and powerful vehicles must be aware of what they are drinking and any medicine they are consuming at all times.

 

Penalties of DUI

If a person with a commercial license is arrested for a DUI in Washington they can lose their license for a minimum of 90 days.  For those people that have a hearing with the Department of Licensing and lose the hearing then the driver can lose their CDL for a full year on their first offense.  If it is a second offense, they will lose their CDL for life.

 

Besides the loss of license there are many other penalties associated with a DUI. 

 

• For people who have a BAC between .04 and .15 they may go to jail for one year as well as pay a fine from $300 up to $5,000.
• For those individuals who have a BAC higher than .15 the fine goes up.
• For a second DUI offense in seven (7) years, the driver will not only face jail time but also be subject to home monitoring via electronic device (SCRAM unit) for 50 days.  This is in addition to the fines that range from $500 to $5,000.

 

All of this points to one primary target: anyone that has been pulled over for a Washington DUI must contact a reputable and experienced DUI attorney immediately.  The attorney can review the facts of the case and put together the best course of action in order to avoid as much damage as possible.