Brayden Miles
If you have your commercial driver's license (CDL) and drive for yourself or for a company, you know you need to avoid DUI (Driving Under the Influence) charge. This is true whether you are driving your personal vehicle or your commercial truck. This is because if you are charged with DUI when driving your personal vehicle, this also affects your CDL status. Below are some things that will happen to you if you get charged with DUI.
Confiscate Your CDL
When you are pulled over and charged with DUI, your CDL will likely be taken away immediately. Once you are out of jail or have settled the charges, you may then be given a temporary permit to allow you to drive your personal car, but you will not be able to drive your commercial truck, as you will no longer have your CDL. If you work for a company, you may be asked to go into alcohol counseling before you can return to work if they do not fire you.
Get Your CDL Back
In most cases, you will be able to get your CDL back after you were arrested for DUI. If you were driving your personal vehicle when you were arrested, you will likely get your CDL back within a few months. If you were driving your commercial truck when you got the DUI, however, it will likely take much longer. If you get arrested a second time for DUI, your CDL license may be taken away forever.
Different Blood Alcohol Level
If you are driving your commercial vehicle, the blood alcohol content (BAC) may be lower when compared to the .08 percent for a personal vehicle. This does depend on the state that you live in. If the police officer asks you to take a BAC, refusing to take it will not help you avoid losing your CDL license. IF you refuse to take the test, your CDL license will likely be automatically forfeited for a certain amount of time depending on the state that you live in.
Contact a DUI attorney immediately if you are arrested for DUI. They can help you protect your CDL so you will not lose your job or will be able to get the license back quicker. They will also know what your state laws are when it comes to the blood alcohol content and how long it will take to get your CDL back again.
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