Will my license be suspended if I cause a drunk driving accident in Washington?
 
Most likely. If you were driving while under the influence of alcohol and it was determined that your BAC level, Blood Alcohol Content level, was above the legal limit, one of the many penalties you may be faced with is having your driver’s license suspended. Causing an accident is one ordeal you are going to have to get through but being charged with DUI is something totally different.
In most drunk driving accidents, the drunk driver is to blame for causing the crash. Therefore, their insurance company is likely going to cover the damages they caused to the others involved. However, in terms of penalties for driving while intoxicated, well that depends on a few different things. For instance, if this is only your first drunk driving offense and your alcohol concentration was less than 0.15, you are likely looking at the following penalties to be enforced:
 

  • Placed in jail for not less than one day nor more than 364 days. The only way a 24-hour imprisonment sentence may be suspended is if it is determined that doing so would pose a substantial risk to the offender’s physical or mental well-being.
  • If you have been relieved of having to serve the minimum 24-hour period in jail, the court may order not less than fifteen days of electronic home monitoring or a ninety-day period of 24/7 sobriety program monitoring.
  • A fine between $350-$5,000.
  • If you are arrested for DUI, your license will be suspended unless you request a hearing to contest the suspension within 20 days of your arrest. You will want one of our accident lawyers in Renton, Washington there representing you so be sure to reach out to us immediately.
  • If you are convicted in court for driving while under the influence in court, which means you may have neglected to take a field sobriety test, your license may be suspended for 90 days to four years [Source: Washington State Department of Licensing].

 
If your alcohol concentration was at least 0.15, the following penalties apply to you:

  • Placed in jail for at least two days, but not more than 364 days.
  • The court will only grant a suspension of this mandatory 48-hour jail sentence if they believe that it would risk the offender’s physical or mental-wellbeing.
  • A fine that will range between $500-$5,000.

[Source: RCW 46.61.5055].

Currently, if a driver is found guilty operating their vehicle with a BAC level of 0.08 or higher, whether they caused an accident or not, they are looking at facing one or more of the penalties described above. Penalties depend on the actual BAC level as well as the number of times the driver has been found guilty of engaging in the same negligent behavior.
And remember, you can always hire an accident attorney or a DUI lawyer in the event you wish to increase your chances of having your penalties reduced.
If you would like help in locating a nearby accident lawyer in the city of Renton, WA, USAttorneys.com is ready to assist you with the process.