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Will I be considered a habitual offender with a second DUI?

On Behalf of | Feb 24, 2021 | DUI |

If you’ve received a drunk driving conviction in the last five years in Pennsylvania, you know you have to be careful to avoid driving drunk again. You don’t want to face stiffer penalties for a second DUI. Yet everyone makes mistakes. Maybe you did drive drunk again and now are facing a second DUI conviction. Will you now be considered a habitual DUI offender?

Facing a second DUI conviction

Most of the time, you have to have more than two DUI convictions in Pennsylvania for the state to consider you a habitual offender. However, if you received a DUI conviction in 2017, then had a reckless driving citation in 2019 and now face a second DUI conviction, Pennsylvania may consider you a habitual offender. One of the toughest aspects of Pennsylvania considering you a habitual offender is the possibly of facing a driver’s license suspension for five years.

Also, as of 2019, any third-time DUI conviction in Pennsylvania is now a felony conviction. You also will face:

  • Stiffer jail penalties your blood alcohol level is higher than .16
  • Harsher penalties if police catch you driving with a suspended license because of a DUI conviction

When arrested for DUI

Any time you face DUI charges, you need to seek help from an experienced criminal defense attorney. You want to do all you can to reduce the charges against you or have them dismissed.

You also need to be careful if you are facing a second-time DUI and have other traffic violations. You want to avoid facing a long-term license suspension and other penalties for being considered a habitual offender.