DUI charges can be tricky to deal with, which is why it's important to have a general understanding of how the law works. Here are some of the most important rules that you need to remember when it comes to DUIs in Connecticut:

How long will your driver's license be suspended for a DUI in Connecticut?

Connecticut is extremely harsh in that a third DUI will result in your license being permanently taken away. However, your first and second DUIs will only result in suspensions of 1 year each, which gives you ample time to reflect and correct any behavior that might have led to your mistake.

This means that you need to be extremely careful if you have already dealt with two DUIs. Any further convictions will result in a total loss of your right to drive, which can be financially crippling to individuals that cannot rely on others for transportation to and from work. Furthermore, this means that you might want to put some extra time and effort into your defense when dealing with a third DUI. For example, hiring or consulting a specialized DUI lawyer could help increase your chances of winning, even though it will cost you a bit of money.

What is the lookback period in Connecticut?

Unfortunately, Connecticut is very strict when it comes to the lookback period, using a 10 year limit. The idea of a lookback period is that some DUIs shouldn't count against you quite as heavily if they were a long time ago. People can change, and some states feel that it is wrong to penalize them for mistakes that they made decades ago.

What this specifically means is that Connecticut DUIs more than 10 years in the past cannot be used for determining the minimum and maximum sentencing and fines for your current DUI accusation. If you received a DUI 15 years ago and another DUI 5 years ago, then a new DUI charge tomorrow would be considered your second DUI, rather than your third.

What is the maximum legal BAC limit in Connecticut?

Connecticut is pretty typical when it comes to BAC limits, with a strict limit of .08% for adult drivers. However, many people aren't aware of the lowered maximum for commercial drivers, which is actually .04%.

It's also important to note that the legal limit for individuals who cannot drink is actually .02%, rather than .00%, as some states use. Even if you are under 21 and accused of a DUI, you might have a chance of beating the charge, assuming that you can prove that you were below .02% BAC, or at least that there is some doubt about the test methods used. Visit http://www.hartlawofficespc.net for more information.