Driving under the influence (DUI) is illegal in Hawaii. The state also uses the term “Operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant,” or OVUII. This simply indicates that alcohol is not the only cause of impairment and a person doesn’t necessarily need to be intoxicated in the traditional sense. They may also have been using marijuana, prescription medications or illegal drugs. But the state uses the terms interchangeably, and they both refer to impaired driving.
If you do get pulled over for impaired driving, one of your main concerns may be whether or not you will lose your driver’s license. This could be critical just for you to get to work, for instance, so losing your license could have a serious financial impact – going far beyond any fines and fees that you have to pay.
Strict DUI laws
Hawaii has relatively strict laws in this regard. Some states only impose a 90-day suspension or none at all. Even for a first offense in Hawaii, though, you are going to lose your driver’s license for one year.
After that, the sentencing gets more severe. Say that you get a second DUI charge within the next five years. If you are convicted, then you could see your license suspended for 2 to 3 years.
If you receive a third conviction in that timeframe, then the charge becomes a class C felony. This means you will lose your driver’s license for 3 to 5 years.
It’s important to note that other punishments also increase. For instance, you may have to pay heavier, fines, spend time behind bars or use an ignition interlock device (IID) on your car. The driver’s license suspension is only one component.
Your defense options
As you can see, this could have a major impact on your life moving forward. That’s why it’s so important to know what legal defense options you have when facing charges.