If you drive for a living, one DUI can jeopardize your career, your income, and your future. You might wonder how your charges impact your CDL, or if you can keep your job if you are convicted. In California, the answers to those questions are often complicated.
Get legal help. A Compton commercial DUI lawyer understands the unique laws and regulations that apply to CDL holders and can work to protect your driving privileges and professional livelihood.
If you need help from a Compton DUI lawyer, the team at Los Angeles DUI Lawyer can connect you with a legal professional who handles commercial DUI cases. We’ve assisted thousands of people charged with DUI in California. Call today.
Should You Hire an Attorney for a Commercial DUI?
A commercial DUI isn’t something you want to handle alone. The rules are stricter for commercial drivers, and the consequences are tougher, starting with DMV actions that could take your license before your court date even arrives.
If your career depends on your license, you need the right legal support to protect it. Some of the benefits of working with a Compton commercial DUI attorney include:
- A California DUI lawyer understands stricter CDL laws and penalties, potentially helping you avoid automatic license suspension or lifetime disqualification.
- Your attorney may challenge the legality of the stop, sobriety tests, and arrest procedures to reduce or dismiss your DUI charges and protect your CDL.
- A DUI lawyer works to avoid convictions that lead to CDL disqualification, possibly negotiating lesser charges that carry fewer or no commercial penalties.
- Your attorney may be able to help you maintain driving privileges and assist in managing employer communications to prevent job loss.
- Your lawyer will represent you in both court and DMV hearings to delay or prevent license suspension and commercial disqualification.
- An experienced attorney can assist you in making decisions and understanding what mistakes to avoid when dealing with a commercial DUI charge.
Is a Personal DUI the Same as a Commercial DUI?
A commercial DUI occurs when a driver with a commercial driver’s license operates a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04% or higher. This limit is stricter than the 0.08% BAC limit for driving under the influence (DUI) for non-commercial drivers.
Even if you’re off the clock and driving your own car, a DUI still affects your commercial license. The legal system holds commercial drivers to a higher standard, and that doesn’t change just because you weren’t in a work vehicle.
What are the Penalties for a Commercial DUI?
The penalties for a commercial DUI in California are very serious. A first offense can lead to a one-year CDL suspension, possible jail time, court fines, and DUI school. A second offense results in a lifetime ban from holding a commercial license.
These penalties apply whether the DUI happened in a commercial vehicle or your personal vehicle, and are potentially career-ending. Unlike standard licenses, there is no restricted CDL option that lets you keep working while suspended.
Because of the severity of the penalties, it is important to contact a commercial DUI lawyer in Compton as soon as possible. It’s not just about losing one job; your DUI could impact your entire career path.
Will You Lose Your CDL if You Get a DUI?
Getting a DUI can affect your commercial driver’s license in some serious ways. A single DUI conviction can trigger a one–year disqualification of your CDL, even if it happened while driving your personal vehicle. If you get a second DUI, the disqualification becomes permanent.
Because the DMV doesn’t offer restricted commercial licenses, there’s no legal way to keep working during that time. To get your CDL back after a suspension, you’ll need to meet strict requirements.
Do You Lose Your Driving Job if You Get a DUI?
Whether you’ll lose your job depends on your employer. Most employers won’t keep a commercial driver with a DUI on their record, even if it’s a first offense. Insurance providers may refuse to cover you, and some companies are required by law to remove drivers with violations.
Even if your license is only suspended for a short time, that alone can make you unemployable in the short term. Once the DUI shows up on your record, it can also limit future job opportunities, as many companies won’t take the risk.
Get Legal Assistance From a Compton Commercial DUI Attorney
A commercial DUI can do long-term damage if your job depends on a clean driving record. Besides license suspension, it can lead to insurance issues, missed job opportunities, and disqualification from specialized driving roles.
It only takes one mistake to change the direction of your entire driving career. Reach out to a Compton commercial DUI attorney to help you protect your CDL and make sure you are treated fairly by the justice system.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyer has over two decades of experience helping people charged with DUI get the legal help they need. Call today, and we can connect you with a DUI lawyer who can assist with your case.
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