People in Wisconsin drive their vehicles every day in order to get to where they need to go each day. While people take this for granted, being able to legally drive is considered a privilege and people need to follow the rules if they want to maintain their privilege to drive. If they do not their driver’s license could be suspended or revoked depending on the type of violations. One of the more serious violations that results in suspensions is an OWI.
These violations are taken very seriously and the consequences can be severe. There are criminal penalties associated with this crime, but sometimes the harsher side of the punishment is the fact that people can lose their licenses for a period of time and not be allowed to drive. In addition to the suspension, people may also be required to have ignition interlock installed in their vehicles for a lengthy period of time to ensure that they are not drinking at all before they get behind the wheel.
Ignition interlock is required for repeat offenders, if the driver refuses to take a test or if people have a BAC of .15 or above on their first OWI. The ignition interlock must be installed in every vehicle owned by the person, even if they do not normally drive the vehicle. It also must be installed in their vehicle for a minimum of one year. People cannot simply choose to not drive for a year either. Whenever the person decides to get their license back, they must have ignition interlock installed for a year. This can be extended for a period of six months as well, if the person tries tampering or circumventing the ignition interlock device.
There are many people charged with OWIs each year in Wisconsin. One of the consequences is that people may have their license suspended and required to have ignition interlock installed in their vehicles. However, people may be able to challenge their license suspensions and there may be defenses available that may allow people to avoid having ignition interlock in their vehicles. Experienced attorneys understand the law and procedure for these matters and may be able to guide one through the process.
