2010 DUI Law Impacting DUI Related DMV License Suspensions

Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill – SB 598 – which will give a repeat DUI offender the opportunity to apply for a restricted driver license with an ignition interlock device placed on their vehicle. The bill will impact both second-time DUI and third-time DUI offenders.

Under existing law, a person convicted of a second-time DUI must serve at least 12 months of a two-year license suspension before applying for restricted status. The new SB 598 law shortens the 12-month period to 90 days. Similarly, under existing law, a person convicted of a third-time DUI who was required to serve 12 months of a three-year suspension before applying for restricted status must now wait only six months.

A suspended license prohibits your driving privilege entirely. A restricted license allows you to drive to and from work or school, and to and from a court-ordered DUI program.

Two critical elements of SB 598 include the following: (1) A person who wants to take advantage of the shortened period must install an ignition interlock device (IID) on any vehicle he or she drives and (2) the law does not go into effect until July 10, 2010.

Most individuals charged with DUI in Southern California are not aware of the most current DUI laws which may directly impact DMV-related driver’s license suspensions. At Wallin & Klarich, our aggressive Southern California DUI defense lawyers have been protecting the rights of those charged with DUI for many years and understand just how high the stakes can be against you. Contact our aggressive attorneys today by calling (877) 466-5245. We will be there when you call.