What are the penalties for DUI in Illinois?

Drunk driving in Illinois carries serious legal consequences. There are different punishments to correspond to the age, occurrence and amount of alcohol in the blood at the time of the incident.

Facing a DUI charge could lead to imprisonment, paying hefty fines or having your license revoked. Here is what you need to know about DUI penalties in Illinois.

Standards for being legally drunk

Within the state, there are three standards for being legally drunk. These standards range from age and driver classification.

• Drivers under 21 may not have any alcohol in the blood (zero tolerance)
• Commercial vehicle drivers, including school bus drivers, are legally drunk with a BAC of .04 percent or higher
• Non-commercial drivers ages 21 and older are drunk with a BAC of .08 or higher

Penalties for being legally drunk

Any DUI conviction can lead to a revoked license for a minimum of one year, up to a year of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,500. Additional convictions lead to a mandatory minimum of either community service or jail time, though three violations or more increases the prison sentence, the amount of the fine and driver’s license revocation periods.

Any conviction with a BAC of .16 or higher faces minimums in fines and community service, with repeat offenses adding additional jail time and increasing fine amounts. Commercial drivers face suspension from the industry in addition to the other penalties for drunk driving.

Impaired driving is a serious offense because of the harm it can do to anyone on the road. Steep penalties should motivate individuals to avoid driving while drunk.