Florida Drugged Driving Penalties

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Driving under the influence of drugs is a serious offense, and a conviction can hurt more than your license. It can hurt your future. 

But what exactly are the serious repercussions for a drugged driving conviction? If you’re not sure what penalties you may be facing, review the details below, then speak with a Florida DUI lawyer at Hersem Law so you know what to expect and how we could help you avoid conviction. 

Penalties for Your License 

For a first-time offense, your license may be suspended for six months to a year. That’s in addition to the one-year administrative suspension if you refused to provide a breath, urine, or blood sample on the night in question. If you’re a working adult, that’s a significant amount of time to take a rideshare or public transportation. Worse, if you drive for a living, which may be the case for taxi and delivery drivers, truckers, and rideshare drivers, among others, you may have to seek other forms of transportation and even employment. 

If you have previous convictions, your license may even be revoked. That means you won’t just pay a fine to get it back. You’ll need to retake your driving test and pay your fines to get your license reinstated. 

Even if your case is reduced to a reckless driving charge, you will face penalties like points on your license if you’re convicted. 

Criminal Penalties 

Drugged driving will net you more than a traffic ticket. A DUI is also a misdemeanor, which means you may be facing criminal charges on your own if you don’t seek out a lawyer from Hersem Law. 

Even if this is your first offense, you may face a maximum of six months in jail for impaired driving. That’s a long time to be away from your family, your pets, and your home. 

You may also face financial penalties, which may include fines ranging from $500 (misdemeanor) to $5,000 (felony). There will be additional court costs and other outside expenses on top of the fines, so the financial penalties can total close to $10,000 even for a first DUI. 

Finally, you may also be expected to complete DUI school and community service hours before your sentence is complete. 

Impacts on Your Criminal Record 

It’s not just your license that will suffer—it’s your criminal record. Even if you pay your fees, serve any jail time, and get your license back, a criminal conviction will remain on your record for the rest of your life. That record is also public for those performing a background check. 

Let’s say you’re seeking a new job in the future. Your potential employer can see the drugged driving conviction on your record, and they may avoid hiring you. This issue can happen for those seeking housing, a loan, and other important services. 

That’s why it’s important to avoid the charges now rather than deal with their fallout later. If you don’t defend your case now, you can have trouble overcoming the penalties for drugged driving. 

Get a Strong Defense with a Drugged Driving Lawyer 

The penalties for driving while intoxicated can leave you struggling to get your life back on track. But what can you do to prevent these penalties? 

The lawyers at Hersem Law can help you act now to protect your future. If you’ve been accused of drugged driving, your lawyer can review the facts and build a defense to potentially get your charges reduced or even dropped. When you’re ready to learn more, reach out by calling 813-251-7291 or by filling out the following online contact form.