Find a Connecticut DUI Attorney For Your Case
Connecticut DUI Laws Penalties And Fines
Connecticut Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Laws
Definition of Intoxication:
Under Connecticut drunk driving laws, Connecticut Driving Under the Influence (DUI) may be proved two different ways:
1. With evidence that you were driving under the influence of alcohol, legal drugs, or controlled substances, to the extent that your normal faculties were impaired; or
2. With evidence that you drove with a BAC of 0.08 or greater (or 0.04, for CDL drivers). Connecticut drivers under age 21 are DUI if they have ANY detectable BAC (the “Zero Tolerance” law), but courts use 0.02 BAC as the legal standard.
Summary of Illegal BAC Levels in Connecticut:
- Adult Driver - DUI with BAC of 0.08 or higher
- Commercial Vehicle Driver - DUI with a BAC of 0.04 or higher
- Under 21 Driver – DUI with BAC of 0.02 or higher
When Can I Drive, if I’ve Been Drinking?
If you’ve been drinking, the best way to avoid DUI – DWI in Connecticut is to have someone else drive. If you must drive, authorities recommend you wait at least one hour for every beer or average drink you’ve had. In addition to time, many other factors affect how the body metabolizes alcohol, like weight, gender, body fat, and recent eating, among others.
Even if your BAC is below 0.08, you can still be DUI, if a jury believes a police officer’s testimony about evidence of your intoxication. In other words, the “legal level” only works in favor of the prosecutor, if you cross it. Being below it does not make you legal.
Connecticut Drunk Driving Laws
Consequences of a DUI Offense in Connecticut
A drunk driving conviction in Connecticut has serious consequences, which become even more severe with repeat offenses. A DUI conviction in Connecticut remains on your record for ten (10) years, for purposes of calculating repeat offense levels.
When you are arrested for DUI in Connecticut, the state will mail you a notice stating that your license will be automatically suspended, beginning on the 31st day after the date of your arrest, if you do not take action to request an administrative hearing within 7 days of the date when you were arrested.
If your license is suspended, you can apply for a Connecticut hardship license for business or employment purposes; even those whose licenses have been permanently revoked may be eligible for a hardship license.
However, hardship licenses are not available, if your license is suspended as the result of refusing a BAC test at the time of your arrest (see Connecticut Implied Consent Law, below).
