Driving in Mississippi is a privilege. As it is a privilege people are expected to follow the various traffic laws when they are driving. There are many of these laws as well. People need to follow speed limits, signal their turns, yield in certain situations, stop at red lights and stop signs, avoid distractions such as using their phones while driving and others. One of the other important ones that people must follow is that they cannot drive if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
People who are caught while driving under the influence could be charged with a DUI. There are significant criminal penalties that people may face if they are convicted of a DUI. There could be mandatory jail time, fines, community service, ignition interlock in vehicles, drug and alcohol treatment and other penalties. One of the other penalties is that their driver’s license can be suspended.
Driver license suspension basics
In fact if a person submits to a breath test after being stopped and has a BAC above .08 or refuses to take a test, their license can be suspended immediately without a hearing. People will be given a 10 day grace period after the driving incident, but on the 11th day people’s license will be suspended for a period of time. People can try and challenge the suspension with an administrative law judge, but if the suspension is not overturned they will have their license suspended for a minimum of 90 days. The overall length of the suspension increases though for each subsequent DUI and also depends on whether people are ultimately convicted of the crime.
Having a DUI conviction in Mississippi can lead to significant consequences. The criminal penalties can be severe, but the license suspension can be just as detrimental. People rely on their ability to drive and need to drive various places each day. If they are unable to do that it can create significant difficulties. However, just because people are charged with DUIs it does not mean that they are automatically guilty of the crime. There are potential defenses and consulting with an experienced attorney could be beneficial.