If you are a truck driver or the driver of a commercial vehicle, you know that having a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in good standing is critical to your career and financial security. If convicted of DUI in Pennsylvania, it can result in the loss of your license for up to one year. This applies to your CDL, not just your regular license.
Your livelihood may be in jeopardy, but there are options available to you. It is possible to defend yourself against drunk driving charges and protect your driving privileges, but you would benefit from the assistance of an experienced attorney to help you accomplish your legal objectives.
How can you appropriately confront drunk driving charges?
Protecting your career begins by securing permission to drive for work, even if your license was suspended. If you were driving your personal vehicle at the time of the traffic stop, the standard blood alcohol level of .08 percent applies. If you were driving your commercial vehicle at the time, you could face arrest for a BAC of .04 percent.
You cannot afford to lose your license to suspension for one year. Your defense strategy should challenge the prosecution’s case against you by doing the following:
- Challenging the validity of the original traffic stop
- If applicable, citing the officer’s failure to read you your rights
- Challenging the handling of a blood or urine sample
- Questioning the administration or results of field sobriety tests
If there is evidence of a violation of your personal rights or an issue with the evidence against you, it could be grounds to move to have the charges reduced or dropped altogether. The effectiveness of your defense could have a direct impact on your ability to drive and keep your driving privileges, so it is critical to have experience on your side.
Seeking the best outcome to your case
It may not be possible to have the charges against you dropped completely, but that does not mean that you have no other options. Your lawyer will advocate for your interests through every step, or, when it is most beneficial, seek a plea deal that may allow you to keep your CDL in good standing for work purposes.
Your employment opportunities today and in the future are at stake. You do not have to let a mistake compromise your long-term interests; it is important to secure the help you need to fight back against a DUI charge.
