In the state of Connecticut, a driver is considered legally drunk if they are operating their vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. If the driver is operating under a commercial driver’s license at the time of the arrest, the BAC level is 0.04 percent. If the driver is under the age of 21, the BAC level is 0.02 percent.

Under the state’s driving under the influence laws, even a first-time offender will lose their driving privileges. Subsequent offenders face longer periods of revocation and may even be sentenced to jail.

However, it is important to understand that a DUI conviction has even further-reaching effects and can have a significant impact on the person’s personal and professional life. The following are just some of the ways a conviction can wreak havoc on your future.

The month of December brings with it many gatherings and parties. For a lot of people, this also means alcohol may be enjoyed. Unfortunately, it also means that some people may find themselves facing a drunk driving charge as we ring in the New Year. If you find yourself facing DUI charges in Connecticut, there may be some viable defense options that a skilled criminal defense attorney can use to defend you.

Chemical Tests

When a driver is stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence, there is a strong possibility that the officer who has pulled the driver over will insist on some kind of chemical testing. In many cases, the officer will conduct a breath test at the scene, however, there are also scenarios where law enforcement will obtain a warrant for a blood test.

Both tests will show what the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is. In Connecticut, a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher means that the driver is legally driving under the influence and will be arrested. However, it is critical for a person who has been charged with a DUI to understand that there are circumstances where their attorney may be able to challenge the validity of those test results in court.

As October winds down and we enter the last weekend of the month, many people will be attending Halloween parties and other festivities. Many people will also be drinking alcohol at these events. Unfortunately, drunk driving is responsible for almost half of the car accident fatalities that occur Halloween night. There is also a high rate of pedestrian deaths that are alcohol-related, more than 25 percent.

These high statistics have led to more and more law enforcement patrolling roads, watching out for drunk drivers. There are also many DUI checkpoints that are set up in the effort to keep drivers under the influence of alcohol off the roads. If you have been arrested for drunk driving, you could be facing significant penalties depending on the circumstances of your arrest.

DUI in Connecticut

Under Connecticut law, if you are operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher, you will be arrested and charged with DUI. If you are under the age of 21, a BAC of .02 percent or higher will get you charged.

Being pulled over by a police officer can be a stressful and intimidating experience, especially if the officer may have reason to believe that a person was driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An officer will look at a number of factors when determining whether a person may be intoxicated, and in some cases, a driver may be asked to take field sobriety tests. These tests involve multiple physical or verbal activities that allow an officer to gauge a person’s level of intoxication, and the results of these tests may provide probable cause to make an arrest. Drivers can be sure they are addressing these situations properly by understanding the types of tests they may be asked to perform and how these tests may indicate intoxication.

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

People may be familiar with tests that may be used by a police officer to determine whether a driver is intoxicated, if only because they have seen them performed on TV shows. Some of these depictions may involve a person being asked to recite the alphabet backwards or touch their fingertips to their nose. However, there are only three Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) that are approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• Walk and turn - In this test, an officer will ask a person to stand with the heel of their right foot touching the toe of their left foot. They will then be asked to take nine heel-to-toe steps in a straight line with their arms at their sides, turn around, and take nine steps to return to their original position. If a person loses their balance, steps off the line, stops walking to steady themselves, raises their arms to maintain balance, does not turn correctly, or otherwise fails to follow the officer’s instructions, this may be seen as an indication that they are intoxicated.

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Originally published: February 26, 2018 -- Updated: September 2, 2021

UPDATE: In addition to the consequences of causing someone’s death due to driving while intoxicated, a person may also face criminal charges if they cause a serious injury to one or more people. In some cases, a driver may be charged with assault, and when the assault is committed with a motor vehicle, this is a felony offense.

The charge of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle applies when a person causes a serious physical injury to someone else because they were operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An injury is considered a serious physical injury if it puts a victim at risk of being killed, results in disfigurement, or causes them to experience significant impairments to their health (including the loss of an internal organ or the loss of function of organs or bodily systems).