Popular television shows like “Cops” have long shown amusing videos of DUI suspects attempting to recite the alphabet or walk in a straight line. While these TV shows have tried to entertain us with failed attempts to complete field sobriety tests during DUI traffic stops, neither DUIs or field sobriety tests are laughing matters. These tests are administered to DUI suspects as evidence to support an arrest and they can also be used as evidence in the court of law when a person is being tried for a DUI. 

Standardized vs. Non-Standardized Tests

When it comes to field sobriety tests, there are two types: standardized and non-standardized. Most police forces use a combination of both types of tests, though standardized tests are the most widely accepted. Standardized tests are also usually the only tests that hold up as evidence against a DUI suspect in court. In the 1970s, the three standardized field sobriety tests were developed. Over the years, these tests have been studied, and it has been determined that standardized field sobriety tests can detect if a person is too impaired to drive around 90 percent of the time.

As a parent, you have dreaded this day since the first time you handed your teenager the car keys and they took off without you. Getting a call that your teen is in trouble is always unsettling, no matter the situation. When that call is to inform you that your teen has been pulled over for drinking and driving, it can be devastating for both of you. 

Even though parents frequently stress the dangers of underage drinking and driving to their children, kids do not always listen, and parents are left to deal with the repercussions. Underage DUI can severely impact your child’s driving and criminal records. That could mean not getting into the college of their choice or other serious complications.

There are many reasons why Illinois citizens can lose their driving privileges. The most common way is an arrest or conviction for DUI. Even if you do not earn a DUI conviction, an Illinois police officer can issue a notice of statutory summary suspension for your driver’s license if you fail a blood-alcohol content test, are unable to complete one or refuse to take a chemical test. The suspension goes into effect on the 46th day after your arrest, and lasts for six months to a year, depending on your circumstances. You may petition to get your driving privileges reinstated by using one of the following two driving permits available to you:

Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP)

These driving permits are typically only available to first-time DUI offenders, but if you have not had a summary suspension within the past five years, you may still be eligible. An MDDP allows you to drive freely during your summary suspension, but you must have a breath-alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) installed in any vehicle you drive. After you complete the application for the MDDP, you must return it to the Secretary of State’s office, which will then give you 14 days to have a BAIID installed. 

Everyone knows a DUI conviction can get you into big legal trouble. In Illinois, a first-time conviction for DUI is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, and you could face up to a year in jail, a one-year revocation of your driving privileges, and suspension of your vehicle registration. If you were under the age of 21 at the time of the DUI, your driving privileges could be revoked for two years. If your blood-alcohol content was recorded at .16 or more, you face a mandatory minimum fine of $500 and 100 hours of community service. 

A DUI conviction also comes with other expenses that can affect many areas of your life:

Being able to drive legally is a privilege, not a right. When you are arrested for a DUI in Illinois, the Secretary of State’s Office automatically puts a statutory summary suspension into effect if you fail a blood alcohol content (BAC) test, or if you refuse to submit to a test. This suspension is separate from any criminal charges you might face, or suspension/revocation that may come with those charges. 

Driving is crucial for most Americans, so the loss of driving privileges can greatly impact your life. It can mean a tougher time getting to work or transporting your children to school or their activities. Fortunately, Illinois has options for those who have had their driver’s license suspended or revoked because of a DUI charge. All of them require the use of a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID).