Have you been charged and/or convicted of a DUI in the Seattle area and felt you were being subjected to some really tough penalties? There might be a good basis for your feelings. An in-depth report that was recently released ranked Washington as ninth in the country for having some of the strictest DUI laws and penalties in the country.

The data used to create the report, which was produced by a DUI law firm in Utah, came from several sources including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Governors Highway Safety Administration, and National Council of State Legislatures. Each state was graded on 21 matrices and given an overall ranking score. The matrices included DUI arrests, blood-alcohol limits, and DUI fatalities/injuries. Despite Utah lowering its legal blood-alcohol limit from .08 to .05 in 2018, it was ranked number two in the country behind Minnesota.

The top three states with strict DUI laws were Minnesota, Utah, and Georgia, and the bottom three states were New Mexico, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Washington's Data

According to the report, Washington ranked 62.1 out of 100. Other numbers included the following:

• DUI arrests per 100K drivers: 440
• DUI fatalities per 100K population: 2.4
• DUI injuries per 100K population: 31
  
  
• First DUI Fine: $865.50
• Second DUI Fine: $1,120.50
• Third DUI Fine: $1,970.50
  
  
• First DUI License Suspension: 12 months
• Second DUI License Suspension: 36 months
• Third DUI License Suspension: Permanent

Ignition interlock devices are mandatory for all DUI convictions in the state of Washington and there are open-container laws.

DUI Defense Attorney Steve Karimi

With such strict DUI laws and penalties in Washington, it is imperative that you retain an attorney who will challenge your DUI charges and fight for your rights. Remember, just because you have been charged with a DUI it doesn't mean you will be convicted.

The Law Offices of Steve Karimi, after a free consultation of your case, will examine the lawfulness of your original traffic stop, question the field sobriety test results, and provide a strong defense that will either reduce the charges you are facing or get them thrown out completely.

If you are facing a DUI charge, call the Law Offices of Steve Karimi today at 206-621-8777 or fill out a contact form to get a free consultation of your case.