Once you have been convicted of a DUI in Pennsylvania, your license will be suspended. At this point, you must cease driving until your license has been returned and reinstated. But you may think this is impossible, as you simply cannot live your day-to-day life without driving. So you choose to get behind the wheel, maybe to run errands or go to work. Well, whether you adhere to your suspension for a day or six months before driving under suspension after a DUI conviction does not matter. The penalties are the same, and they are significant.
While having your driving privileges suspended might be inconvenient to your daily life, driving with a suspended license after a DUI is against the law. During your License Suspension, it is essential that you find other alternative means of transportation. Whether it be managed by taking the transit or getting a ride from a friend, it is absolutely essential to your case that you do not cave in and go behind a wheel.
Simply stated, driving with a suspended license is now a new and additional crime. This added offense greatly increases your likelihood of receiving jail time, especially if you are a repeat offender or have another serious crime pending under court.
What Are the Penalties for This Offense?
Typically, for a first offense of driving when your License Is Suspended, the fine is $200 and an additional year suspension. But the penalties for most motor vehicle offenses when attached to a DUI conviction are enhanced. So when the suspension is tied to a DUI conviction, the fine is increased to $500. And that’s not the worst of it. On top of tacking on an additional year suspension, there is mandatory jail time of 60-90 days. That’s right, you are looking at mandatory imprisonment at this juncture. It is important that you understand the severity of this offense and retain counsel right away. Call The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. today. We will assist you in fighting the charges and mitigating any potential penalties (such as seeking house arrest or weekend time served, as well as the 60 day minimum, as opposed to a potential sentence of 90 consecutive days in jail).
Additionally, if you have a BAC of .02% or drugs in your system at the time of the violation, the fine is increased to $1000, and the mandatory minimum in jail is increased to 90 days. A second offense results in a $2500 and mandatory minimum of 6 months in jail and a third offense carries a whopping $5000 fine and 2 years in jail. These are very significant penalties, and require your attention and immediate action. Call The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C.; we can help.
This content was written on behalf of Greg Prosmushkin.