Are You On the Road to Another Virginia Felony DUI?

There is a saying about people who make the same mistake time and time again, expecting a different result. With drinking and driving, continuing to put yourself and others on the line is not only a little crazy, but with each offense, you will face even stricter consequences. A Virginia felony DUI, for example, takes all your drunk driving offenses into account. It does not matter when they happened, or where, just that by the time you hit a third DUI, you are in Virginia felony DUI territory.

There is no lookback period, so a Virginia felony DUI is based upon all your convictions, even those that occurred decades apart.

When you have a felony DUI in Virginia, you will also face the following:

• You will be labeled as a habitual drunk driving offender.
• You will have a mandatory 90-day jail sentence.
• You will have a felony record.
• You will lose your driver’s license until you are eligible for an ignition interlock device.
• You will give up your vehicle to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

To restore your license, you will be required to participate in VASAP and be eligible for an interlock through both the Commonwealth and the Virginia DMV. If you re-offend after that time or are in violation of VASAP or your interlock agreement, you will lose your license again, forever.

A Virginia felony DUI is a big deal, and with the strict stance the Commonwealth takes against all drunk driving offenses, your best move is to steer clear of any problems. Have a safe plan for getting home if you will be drinking, one that keeps you from having to make a choice while under the influence of alcohol. You will save yourself a lot of legal and personal troubles, and you will save the lives of others on the road.