In the early quarter of this year, several new DUI laws were enacted in the state of California, most of them geared towards imposing more severe penalties for DUI offenses. The rationale for the enactment of such laws is based on the ever-increasing DUI violation statistics despite the fact that in 2007, the reporting requirements were increased by the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) from seven to ten years from the date of one’s arrest. Presently, non-commercial drivers committing DUI violations have to suffer a ten-year period of having such violation reflected in their public driving records.

Just last January of this year, Assembly Bill 1601 was already signed into law and became effective exactly on the first day of the said month. The scope of the new law includes the following:

  • Sentencing courts were given the additional power to revoke a repeat offender’s license for a period of ten years.
  • The provisions cover those who are convicted of DUI for a third or subsequent time.
  • The legislation imposes tougher sentences such as jail terms and fines on repeat offenders.

So essentially, those who are already on their third DUI violation should be always on guard and exercise extraordinary diligence when getting behind that wheel. A fourth DUI conviction has now been meted out with more serious penalties precisely to serve the purpose as a crime deterrent. Ultimately, the law seeks to see the significant reduction in DUI violation statistics in the next five or so years from its enactment. Moreover, under the existing law, those committing their third DUI are made to suffer revocation of their license for 3 years while those on their fourth DUI shoulder a revocation period of four years. Under the new law, the sentencing courts are given the option whether or not to apply the old laws imposing the 3-4 year revocation period or the new ones imposing a much lengthier ten-year period.

In addition, the provisions of the new law state that repeat DUI offenders who have their drivers’ license revoked for a period of ten years will still be able to have their driving privileges reinstated after a period of only five years instead. The condition is that they shall have to install a certified ignition interlock device on the vehicles they own for a period of two years from the time of reinstatement of such driving privileges. The five-year period shall be reckoned from the date of their last conviction. In the light of the recent changes in the existing DUI legislation, one should be quick to solicit legal assistance in the event he gets arrested for a DUI violation. Failure to hire an experienced Los Angeles DUI defense attorney at the earliest possible opportunity would mean having to face the harsher penalties of the law.