Huntington Beach DUI Attorney

Huntington Beach is not only a destination for surfing and the beach, but also has restaurants, bars, and clubs that attract people at night. This is likely why Huntington Beach has some of the highest “driving under the influence,” or DUI rates in California. And law enforcement is aware of this and is strict on drunk driving, making Huntington Beach the number one city in California for DUI arrests. Depending on your size, you may not even realize you are over the legal limit to drive after just a few drinks, which is 0.08 percent blood alcohol level in California. There are a variety of different factors that can affect how quickly or how badly intoxicated one may become. Three drinks for one person may mean something completely different to someone else based on gender, size, how quickly the drinks were ingested or over how long of a period of time, or even existing medical conditions. But if you get arrested for a DUI, the Huntington Beach DUI attorney at the Johnson Criminal Law Group has experience in defending DUIs in California.

If you do end up being charged with a DUI, the penalties for even a first time offender are pretty heavy. There is the possibility of receiving fines, being put on probation, license suspension, and maybe even jail time, although it is not common for first time offenders. For repeat offenders, the consequences are even more severe. It results in jail time, longer license suspensions, and longer probation. The penalties for a DUI will increase in severity if an injury or death is involved, too.

For commercial drivers, the requirements for being legally intoxicated and unable to operate a motor vehicle are different. While for noncommercial drivers, the legal alcohol limit is having a blood alcohol content of 0.08%, it is half of that (0.04%) for commercial drivers. In addition, for drivers that are under the age of 21 and who are pulled over under suspicion of being intoxicated while driving, there is a zero tolerance law because of the restrictions on alcohol placed on them. The zero tolerance law declare that it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a BAC of just 0.01% or higher.

Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any drug that impairs your abilities, for that matter, does not just danger you while you are driving, but also everyone else driving that is around you. It is important that these restrictions are put in place to ensure the public safety of everyone on the road.

California Vehicle Code 23152 is the applicable law for DUIs, and the section states, in part, that it’s unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug to drive a vehicle.

Another problem is too many people think a DUI is not a big deal and then are surprised when their driver’s license is suspended or they face jail time and fines. The Huntington Beach DUI attorney at the Johnson Criminal Law Group knows that a DUI arrest or conviction can have serious consequences and has experience defending these cases to attain the best possible outcome for the client. Contact the Law Office by phone at (949) 622-5522 or through an online message as soon as possible.