Drennan Law Firm's Blog

South Carolina has some strict laws against drunk driving. The tiered system increases the penalties with each subsequent conviction. These include time in jail, fines, community service, alcohol treatment programs, ignition interlock device installation and several other options.

It is up to the court to decide what is appropriate for a person who's convicted, but there are minimums that apply to most convictions. There are also penalties for refusing to take a chemical test if one is requested.

Many drivers believe that they will only be pulled over and subjected to a Breathalyzer test if they are found to be driving recklessly. Therefore, some drivers engage in illegal drunk driving because they are overly confident in their driving abilities. However, if you are driving while over the legal alcohol limit, you should know that you can be pulled over even if you are not driving erratically.

There are many ways in which law enforcement officials can pull over a driver and ask them to take a Breathalyzer test. In some cases, it is lawful to initiate a Breathalyzer test without making a traffic stop due to having a reasonable suspicion of intoxication. The following is an overview of the ways in which DUI traffic stops can be made.

Some people think of a drunk driving conviction as something that's a minor event. This isn't the case, especially when you start to add up the financial impact that comes with it. If you're facing a drunk driving charge, you should think carefully about all the possible impacts that you're going to have to deal with because of the legal matter.

While each case is unique, there are some general guidelines about what you can expect to pay out of pocket for a drunk driving case. Typically, the overall estimate is that this type of case will cost you at least $10,000 in South Carolina for a first offense.

Memorial day is approaching on May 25, and with it comes the risk of DUI crashes. South Carolina's authorities take this risk seriously, often setting up sobriety checkpoints and sending out additional patrols throughout the Memorial Day weekend.

Did you know that the National Safety Council believes that Memorial Day weekend is the most deadly holiday for car crashes? In 2019, the safety council estimated that at least 380 people would be killed on the roadways. Many of those incidents could have involved alcohol.