Most people find it difficult to understand what the law requires of them when it comes to drinking and driving. Although drunk driving is illegal, drivers can still drink and drive so long as they are within limits, and they can make informed decisions on the road.
According to Findlaw, every driver should keep their blood-alcohol content below 0.8% if they want to remain eligible to drive. However, in some cases, it may be illegal to operate a vehicle even when they keep their intake within limits.
There are two ways the authorities can determine whether a driver can still drive. First, they can do a chemical test that shows blood alcohol content. It is worth noting that the chemical tests are mandatory, any refusal to do a test leads to suspension of a drivers’ license.
Secondly, they may choose to do field sobriety tests on the driver even if they pass the chemical tests. Therefore, a driver may still violate this law when they carefully watched their alcohol intake.
NOLO Network states that a person may violate the Virginia DUI laws without actually driving. Well, that is possible because sitting in front of a steering wheel and having the car keys in the ignition shows intent to drive. Therefore, some drivers get convicted even when their cars are not in motion.
There are different penalties a court may impose on an offender. It will first seek to understand in what circumstances the driver got arrested. However, the courts will always focus more on past convictions the defendant has had. DUI records in Virginia date up to 10 years back and offenders will get punished with regard to their records.
