Will I Be Able to Drive After an Illinois DUI Conviction?

 Posted on July 07, 2021 in Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

The State of Illinois prioritizes keeping dangerous drivers off of the road in order to decrease the risk of accidents and serious injuries. As such, when a person is arrested or convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), their driver’s license is typically suspended or revoked. However, Illinois also recognizes that losing one’s driving privileges can cause substantial hardship. If you have been arrested or convicted for DUI, you may still have options that allow you to drive, and an attorney can help you pursue them.

Illinois DUI Suspensions and Revocations

It is important to understand what actually happens to your driver’s license when you are arrested or convicted. Upon a DUI arrest, the officer will ask you to submit to a chemical test to determine the presence of alcohol in your body. If you fail the test with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08, your license will be subject to a statutory summary suspension of six months for a first offense. This suspension takes effect 45 days after you receive notice. If you refuse the test altogether, your license will be subject to suspension for one year.

If you are convicted of driving under the influence, your license will be revoked for at least a year, with longer minimum revocation periods for those who have prior convictions. Any statutory summary suspension served will be credited toward the length of the revocation.

Applying for a Limited Driving Permit

If you have been issued a statutory summary suspension and you have no prior DUI convictions, you may be able to apply for a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP). An MDDP allows you to drive during your suspension as long as you install a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) in any vehicle that you drive.

If you are convicted for DUI, you can apply for limited driving privileges with a Restricted Driving Permit (RDP). While your full driving privileges are revoked, an RDP allows you to drive only for certain purposes, such as going to work, medical appointments, or alcohol treatment and education. To obtain an RDP, you will likely need to demonstrate that your inability to drive would cause you hardship. If you have prior DUI convictions, you will also need to install a BAIID in your vehicle.

Contact a Chicago DUI Defense Lawyer

If you have been arrested for DUI, Moretti Law, P.C. can help you understand your options for maintaining your driving privileges. If your license is suspended or revoked, we can also help you reinstate it as soon as possible. For a free consultation with our Cook County DUI defense attorney, call our office today at 312-861-1084.

Source:

https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a118.pdf