West Virginia DUI

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In the state of West Virginia, drunk driving or driving under influence (DUI) is taken very seriously. Tests are administered on anyone suspected of DUI, and the legal limit of a driver's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is .08. If the driver is under 21 years of age, his or her limit is .02, and if she or he is a commercial vehicle driver, the limit is .04.For drivers under 21, the penalty for a first DUI offense is a 60-day license revocation plus a fine that ranges from $25 to $100. On a second offense, the driver will be jailed for 24 hours and fined for a $100 to $500 charge. His or her license will be revoked until he or she is 21. The driver will also be required to participate in the Interlock Program, wherein an alcohol concentration checking device will be installed in his or her car. He or she must blow into the device to check if his or her BAC is within the legal limit. If he or she doesn't, the car won't start.

For other drivers, the penalties are as follows

First offense

There will be a six-month license revocation, fines that range from $100 to $500, and a total of 24 hours to six months of jail time.

Second offense

On the second offense, jail time can reach from six months to a year. Fines will be upped to $1,000 to $3,000, and license revocation can last for ten years. However, if the driver participates in the Interlock Program, the suspension can be reduced to only a year.

Third offense

Fines from $3,000 to $5,000, jail time from one to three years, and license revocation for life await DUI offenders on their third and subsequent offenses. The license revocation can be reduced to a year if the driver participates in the Interlock Program.

Keep in mind that refusal to be tested for DUI is also taken as an offense, and can earn a driver up to 24 hours to six months of jail time, fines from $100 to $500, and a one-year license revocation.