WASHINGTON — The penalties for drunk drivers involved in deadly accidents become much stiffer in Maryland Oct. 1.
New mandatory minimum penalties will be applied based on how drunk the driver was and whether he or she has a previous offense.
“If you’re arrested for a DUI and your incident resulted in a fatality, at minimum you’re going to get your license taken away for six months,” says Kurt Erickson, president of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program.
That’s the penalty for a first offense for drivers with a blood alcohol content between .08 and .14.
For a blood alcohol content at .15 or higher, a driver’s license will be suspended for one year.
The law takes the strongest action against those in that category with a previous offense. They’ll be stripped of a driver’s license forever.
The law passed unanimously in Maryland’s General Assembly earlier this year; Gov. Larry Hogan signed it into law in the spring.
