In all U.S. jurisdictions, it is illegal to drive while you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In order to receive federal funding for highways, all fifty states have passed zero tolerance Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws for underage drunk drivers. Tennessee recently attempted changes to its DUI laws, which violated federal guidelines. On Wednesday, September 14, 2016, lawmakers repealed the law.
What do the Tennessee state DUI laws say?
The change was supposed to make penalties for underage drunk driving harsher, but the new law also raised the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for drivers younger than 21. It raised the BAC limit from .02 to .08 for drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, “But by also raising the maximum allowable blood alcohol content from 0.02 percent to 0.08 percent for those drivers, the state stood to lose 8 percent of its federal road funding money on Oct. 1,” according to the Insurance Journal. All of this was in violation of federal “zero tolerance” laws, which is why the funding would have been cut.
If lawmakers had let the changes stand, they would have faced $60 million in penalties. As it is, this scrabbling over the past few days in a special session could cost us about $100,000.
What to do if you are pulled over for a DUI in Sevierville
A DUI conviction can have a permanent impact on your life and on your future. If you are pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving, remember that you do have the right to refuse the breath test – but you could lose your license for up to a year. A recent Supreme Court ruling may see parts of that law challenged in the days to come, but so far it is still the status quo.
You don’t have to tell the police anything, either; you can request a lawyer right from the beginning. You do, however, need to pull the car over and be polite to the officer. You should call a Sevierville DUI attorney as soon as you can, too, so you can get started on building a case for your defense.
If you are facing a DUI, Delius & McKenzie, PLLC can help. Our Sevierville DUI defense attorneys have helped people just like you protect themselves and their licenses. For more information about our services, please call (865) 428-8780 or fill out our contact form. We proudly serve Sevierville, Seymour, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge.
Attorney Bryan E. Delius was born and raised in Sevier County, TN. He founded Delius & McKenzie more than 20 years ago, after receiving his JD from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He is admitted in Tennessee and in several federal court systems. Learn more about Bryan E. Delius.
