If you have ever been convicted of an alcohol-related driving offense, it is likely you are familiar with having your license at least temporarily suspended. DUI charges can often lead to the complete revocation of a driver’s license. However, a new bill being discussed in Illinois aims to give people convicted of drunk driving the ability to continue holding a license.
Under current legislation, a driver with a DUI can apply for a restricted permit, as long as they have no more than three drunk driving offenses on their records. The new bill would increase this limit to four, giving drivers an extra chance to retain the ability to drive legally.
Of course there are opponents to the bill who feel that this is an unwise move, citing the damage done to others by drunk drivers. However, an alternative opinion is that people who want or need to drive will do so with or without a license. In this case, the argument is that it would be better to have people licensed so they can be monitored rather than to have them driving with no means of keeping track of them. The proposed bill appears to supplement existing DUI legislation in order to monitor convicted drivers and improve road safety.
Charges of drunk driving can have significant repercussions for the people involved. Even with the passage of this bill in Illinois, if you are charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, you risk fines, employment issues and even jail time. It is important to be able to defend yourself against such allegations in an effort to defend your reputation and your lifestyle in addition to your ability to drive.
Source: KVFS-TV, “Illinois proposes changes to DUI offenders,” Todd Tumminia, Feb. 27, 2014