Here’s a fact confirmed repeatedly by relevant studies and research that is underscored in findings focused on drunk driving charges and convictions spanning Pennsylvania.
To wit: State troopers and other law enforcement bodies across the state don’t care a whit about who you are once they decide to pull you over and test their suspicions of alleged behind-the-wheel impairment.
Media reports emerge routinely that spotlight arrested motorists of highly varied description. Social status and other personal identifiers obviously don’t matter much when detained individuals range from doctors, teachers, construction workers and students to artists, clerics, accountants and members of virtually every other demographic.
The bottom line concerning a DUI charge in Northeastern Pennsylvania or elsewhere across the state is twofold and eminently clear.
First, just about anyone can be stopped for an alleged infraction and face criminal charges. And second, the harsh nature of penalties that can unfold in a given case makes it an imperative for most arrested individuals to promptly seek proven and results-oriented legal counsel.
Concerns that follow from a Pennsylvania DUI charge
Pennsylvania motorists charged with drunk driving have multiple and immediate concerns. Prominent among them are these:
- Potential for jail time
- Punitively high fines, court costs and other financial exactions
- Suspension or revocation of driving privileges
- Spiked insurance rates
- Adverse effects on prospective employment or a currently held job
- Social stigma
And that is not all: Although the above bulleted entries make for a lengthy list of downsides, state DUI laws tack on a host of additional penalties that can be added to the mix in a select case – even for a first-time offender. They range from a lengthy probationary term and required attendance in an alcohol education class to mandated alcohol/drug treatment, elevated penalties for select drivers (e.g., commercial truckers, bus drivers and minors) and more.
And there is still more. A Pennsylvania government website addressing DUI law highlights the state’s “tiered approach toward DUI enforcement and treatment.” That essentially provides for progressively ratcheted-up exactions in cases where a driver is charged with drunk driving for a second or subsequent time.
Crafting a proactive and purposeful response to a DUI charge
A person arrested in Pennsylvania for drunk driving understandably seeks to minimize adverse fallout to the fullest extent possible. A strong criminal defense response will resolutely focus on that goal by closely examining case evidence. Scrutiny can fall on police actions during an initial stop and the propriety/accuracy of blood-alcohol testing to scrutiny of the specific charges filed and more.
A DUI arrest and resulting charge can be a harrowing experience. A prompt and informed legal response to it might well minimize the damage.