When an Oregon resident is accused of Driving Under the Influence, the person can face serious criminal charges. If the person is found guilty on those charges, the person will face penalties. There are many different penalties associated with drunk driving charges. These penalties can range from jail or prison time, to large fines and alcohol education classes. These penalties are meant to punish people for driving over the influence and deter them from committing the offense again.
If people have multiple DUI convictions on their record, the penalties are increased. In these cases, people may also find that the state impounds their car. This generally happens through a civil process. An appeal is generally available.
The process is supposed to make it difficult for a person to repeat a drunk driving offense. It is also meant to deter a person from driving under the influence in the future. In most cases though, states will only impound a car after weighting the danger to the public posed by the driver and the excessive nature of the penalty.
In recent years, impounding has fallen out of favor. Instead, many courts are choosing to order the use of an ignition interlock device. These devices require a person to blow into the breathalyzer-type machine before the car will start. If alcohol is detected on the person's breath, then the car will not start, and the results are reported back to authorities.
The many penalties associated with drunk driving -- including impounding a car -- are very serious. People in these situations have legal rights that should be protected. An attorney can help to ensure that people accused of DUI are not unfairly convicted or face unnecessarily harsh penalties.
Source: FindLaw.com, "Having Your Car Impounded After a DUI," accessed on July 26, 2015
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