If you are arrested in Maryland for drunk driving, there is a distinction between DUI and DWI. If your blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeds.08, you will be charged with Maryland DUI (Driving under the Influence). If your BAC is.07 you will be charged with DWI (Driving While Impairment).
Your first DUI can result in up to one year imprisonment and up to $1,000 in fines. If you were driving a minor at time of arrest, your jail sentence could be extended for up to two years and you could face up to $2,000 fines. You can get your driver’s licence suspended for at least six months in either case. DUI vs DWI Maryland
You can get a maximum of two years imprisonment and a fine up to $2,000. If you are convicted of a second DUI in Maryland If you were the driver of a minor’s vehicle, your sentence could be up to two years in jail and a maximum fine of $2,000. Your license may be suspended for one-year if the second offense is committed within five years of the first. However, you can still participate in an ignition interlock program if your suspension lasts 45 days.
A Maryland DUI conviction can result in a three-year jail sentence and a maximum of $3,000. If you were driving a minor, your jail sentence could be up to three years and a maximum of $3,000. Fines may also go up to $4,000. Both cases will result in your license being suspended for 18 months.
DWI is more severe than DUI, but the punishments for DUI are very different. A first DWI can land you up to two years in prison and a $500 fine. If a minor was present in your vehicle, you could face a six-month sentence and a $1,000 fine. You could be subject to a six-month suspension of license.
A second DWI can land you up to one-year in prison, up to $500 in fines, and your license could be suspended for at least one year. The fine for transporting a minor can go up to $2,000.
Maryland law also prohibits drunk driving under 21 years old. Your license may be suspended or revoked if you are younger than 21 years old and have a blood alcohol content of.02 or more. Maryland also has an implied consent law. If you drive in Maryland, you must agree to submit to a chemical test for alcohol or drug impairment. Your driver’s licence could be suspended for 120 days if you refuse to take these tests. A second refusal automatically suspends it for one year.