It is well known that in the United States, no one should be driving a vehicle when the person is under the influence of any kind of toxic substance. Such reckless behavior can lead the driver to make poor decisions when sitting behind the wheel and the results of this have proven to be disastrous. In Colorado, it is important to understand the law that regulates impaired driving along with the penalties that can be given to the driver if caught under this circumstance.
What to know
Many accidents caused by DUIs can be prevented by simply taking proper action, such as stopping the driver from driving. However, if the driver is already on his or her course, then it is important to file a report to the local police. Doing this might not only save the driver’s life but anyone else who is with the person in the car or any other bystander who is on the street.
The person filing the report should know of the car that is being driven by the intoxicated person; the person should also give a specific description of the car, providing the color, model, make, license plate (it is not important to have all of the mentioned information but a complete and thorough description can better aid the police); call the police and notify them of what just happened; provide an adequate description of the location and the time that the person left; stay on the line until it is authorized to hang up.
Penalties
A series of penalties can range from a fine to license suspension and even jail time up to 1 year. It varies from case to case and also on the penalties made by the driver. Colorado’s legal limit for driving under the influence of alcohol (blood alcohol concentration, BAC) is of .08, which is the same throughout the country. Several blood and breath tests are given to the driver but if the person will suffer far more severe penalties if the test surpasses a level of 0.15.
Several penalties can be given to the driver but in Colorado, the court may provide with administrative penalties, which include the suspension or revocation of the driver’s license. In most cases, the driver can submit a plea bargain in order to reduce his charges, but it is very unlikely that he or she will be successful given that all the evidence that was taken during the stop. It is presumed that the driver has given consent to the police to take any evidence needed to see if the driver is intoxicated. This happens under the officer’s probable cause that the driver is drunk.
Taking the right precautions when under the influence of an intoxicating substance can not only spare the driver of any kind of legal trouble, but could potentially help save his or her life and anyone else that happens to be in the car with the driver or any other bystander who is on the road.