This past February, two Cookeville High School students were fatally injured in a tragic motor vehicle collision. The accident occurred when the teen driver lost control of the vehicle, which rolled and ultimately collided with a tree. It was a sobering reminder of the risks all teenage drivers face. 

Every year, thousands of American teenagers die in car accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2,433 teens were killed in car wrecks during a recent 12-month period. An additional 290,000 teenagers suffered injuries that required hospitalization over that span. 

Here in the state of Tennessee, there have been dozens of initiatives designed to reduce the number of inebriated drivers on the roads. From heightened criminal punishment to increases in highway surveillance, law enforcement officials and prosecutors are taking drunk driving incredibly seriously throughout the state. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, over 7,300 people were arrested on DUI charges statewide throughout 2017. If you have been arrested on DUI charges, it is critically important to seek out legal assistance as soon as possible. 

Punishment for a DUI Conviction

Due to the high potential for fatal car accidents when a driver is inebriated, the state of Tennessee punishes drunk drivers more harshly than the vast majority of states. Even a first-time DUI offender will face a minimum of two full days in jail and fines of at least $350. Without quality legal representation, a first-time DUI offender could be subjected to a jail sentence of up to one year, one year of license revocation, and potential fines as high as $1,500. 

A second or third DUI conviction carries the same maximum prison sentence but comes with higher fines and much longer periods of driver’s license revocation. If you have been convicted of a fourth DUI, you will face felony charges and a minimum of one year in jail. More severe criminal punishment can be placed on those who are convicted of vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, or aggravated vehicular homicide.