Like many states, Florida has strict DUI laws. The number of DUI-related accidents that occur every year in the state is pretty high, causing law enforcement to crack down on drunk driving. It is important to understand the DUI laws in Florida and how these laws will affect you as a driver.
You can be charged with DUI if you have a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of .08% or higher. It is as simple as that. Even if your driving ability wasn't impaired, you can still be convicted.
The moment you start driving your vehicle on a public road, you give consent to submit to a chemical test. Florida law says that you give automatic consent to take a blood, breath, or urine test to determine your BAC if an officer has reason to believe you may be intoxicated.
If you refuse, you will face the following consequences:
Remembering this can help you avoid an unnecessary license suspension. Even if you believe that an officer doesn't have reasonable cause to request a chemical test, it may still be in your best interest to submit to the test and challenge this matter later down the road.
A police officer must observe a driver committing some type of traffic violation or erratic driving behavior in order to have reasonable cause to pull them over. Without this, they could be violating and individual's rights and the charges could be thrown out down the road.
Some examples of suspicious driving behavior include:
An officer may ask an individual to perform field sobriety tests in order to determine if they exhibit drunk behaviors. If they appear to be intoxicated, an officer may then decide to request the driver to take a chemical test.
Have more questions about DUI laws in Florida? Want to learn how you can fight your DUI charges? Give our Panama City firm a call today to discuss your case.