A plan for Packers' season you forgot to make

 Posted on August 15, 2017 in DUI/OWI

Are you ready for Packers' football? If your answer is an emphatic "yes," you might not be as ready as you think. People who are going to head out to enjoy Packer parties need to plan ahead now for how they will get home if they are going to drink any alcohol.

Think about how drunk driving charges will ruin the rest of Packers' season! The first preseason game isn't until Aug. 10 at Lambeau Field, so that means that you would likely have this legal issue hanging over your head for the rest of the season, which will hopefully go through the Super Bowl.

The definition of drunk driving in Wisconsin

Drunk driving in Wisconsin can come from alcohol or drugs. If you can drink legally in the state, you must have a blood-alcohol concentration percentage of .08 percent or less. If your BAC is above this level, you will likely face drunk driving charges.

You can also face drunk driving charges for driving after you consume any sort of drugs. This includes any drug that alters your mind, including over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs and illegal drugs.

Penalties of a drunk driving conviction vary

On a first operating while intoxicated conviction, you face a fine, an assessment and a host of other penalties. You do face a driver's license suspension of six to nine months. However, it is possible to get an occupational license that will allow you to drive to and from work or school.

Convictions after the first one don't have the same lax penalties as the first. You face penalties that are much more harsh on convictions after the first.

One of the penalties you face if you have a subsequent conviction associated with a BAC of .15 percent or more is an ignition interlock. You will have to blow into this device before you can operate your vehicle. It also means that you can't operate any vehicle that isn't equipped with one.

The most important thing that you can do to combat drunk driving charges is to make plans to get home safely from every Packers party you attend. Finding a designated driver or staying at the place where you party may be sensible. If you end up facing charges, make sure that you start your defense right away.