Yes. Louisiana DWI laws apply to the driving of ANY motor vehicle. The Louisiana criminal defense attorney at the Law Offices of Philip B. Adams will continue on in this article to explain more. Driving a motorcycle while impaired will violate Louisiana's DWI laws. Likewise, you can face DWI charges if you are impaired and driving a farm tractor, a car, a truck, ATV, a motorboat, and even -- in theory -- a motorized bicycle (though there are no reported cases involving a motorized bicycle). If you are arrested for DWI in Louisiana, get a consultation from a dedicated and aggressive DWI Louisiana criminal defense attorney. Here is some additional information on DWI charges in Louisiana. As noted, DWI is defined as the operation of a motor vehicle while being impaired. This is NOT limited to impairment via consumption of alcohol. Any substance -- like marijuana or even prescription medication -- that impairs your ability to operate a motor vehicle will potentially result in a DWI arrest and charge. Further, it is a mistake to think that you are driving while impaired ONLY if your blood alcohol content ("BAC") is above 0.08%. In Louisiana, having a BAC of 0.08% or higher creates a presumption that you are impaired and that you are not capable of safely driving a motor vehicle. However, you can STILL be arrested, charged, and convicted of DWI in Louisiana if your BAC is less than 0.08%. This legal presumption is lower for commercial drivers and for those under the age of 21. Drivers of commercial vehicles are considered to be violating the DWI laws if their BAC is 0.04% or greater; for those under 21, the presumption of DWI exists when the BAC is 0.02% or greater. To repeat, impairment is the essence of the crime, not BAC. BAC is evidence of impairment. If convicted, those who are arrested on a motorcycle for first-offense DWI face a jail term of up to 6 months and fines of up to $1,000. There will also be a 90-day suspension of your driver's license. Back to the issue of BAC: if you drive in a very drunk state (a BAC of 0.20% or higher), your driver's license will be suspended for two years. Penalties are substantially increased for second, third, and more offenses. Be aware that the government's prosecuting attorneys will not typically rely only on the tests that determine the accused's BAC. Generally, other types of evidence are introduced at trial. If available, additional evidence can include:
Contact A Louisiana Criminal Defense Attorney Today For more information, contact the Law Offices of Philip B. Adams today. We are top-rated, relentless, and aggressive Louisiana criminal defense lawyers. Complete our "Contact Us" page here. We have the experience and legal knowledge that you need to help you win your criminal case. We have offices in Shreveport and handle criminal defense cases throughout all of Louisiana. Comments are closed.
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