According to a survey conducted by WalletHub, Ohio is one of the least aggressive states when it comes to DUI laws. Annually, drunk drivers cost $44 billion and take approximately 10,000 lives around the country. The survey found that Ohio had a score of 28 percent, which was good for 49th in the country and just ahead of South Dakota and Washington, D.C. Arizona was the toughest state on DUIs with a score of 84 percent.
In an effort to get tougher on drunk drivers, the state enacted Annie’s Law that took effect in April 2017. The law says that even a first offender will have his or her driver’s license suspended for a year. First offenders may be eligible to drive after installing a Breathalyzer in their cars. A person who is convicted of a second offense is required to have a Breathalyzer.
Those who are convicted on a drunk driving charge may be subject to significant personal, professional and legal penalties in addition to a driver’s license suspension. Not being able to drive may make it harder to get to work or take care of other obligations.
As a result, it might be advisable for a person who has been handed these types of charges to meet with a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible and discuss how to move forward. One challenge that an attorney might make is to the traffic stop itself. Authorities are generally required to have a reasonable suspicion that some form of criminal activity is taking place. This does not have to relate to impairment, however.
