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Failure to stop for a police officer
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Leaving the scene of an accident (bodily injury)
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Operating alone on permit
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Operating a motor vehicle without a license (crime)
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Passing a stopped school bus, exceeding posted speed by at least
30 miles per hour
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Altering a driver's license or registration certificate
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Loaning a driver's license
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Unlawful use of a driver's license
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Displaying a suspended license
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Falsifying an application for registration certificate or
driver's license
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Giving false information to a police officer
Maine's OUI Laws
Operating Under the Influence (OUI)
In Maine, if you are driving a motor vehicle with a blood
alcohol content of .08% or more, you are guilty of a
criminal offense known as Operating under the Influence
(OUI). Following your arrest based solely on the police
report and blood alcohol content (BAC) test results, the
Secretary of State will immediately suspend your license.
This suspension takes place prior to any court
appearance, so while you're waiting for your day in
court, you won't be driving.
Zero Percent the Zero Tolerance Law
If you are under 21 years of age, Maine has a special law
for you. If you are found operating, or attempting to
operate, a motor vehicle with any measurable amount of
alcohol in your body, you will lose your license for one
year. If you refuse a test, you will lose your license
for at least 18 months. If you have a passenger under 21
years of age, an additional 180-day suspension will be
imposed.
Drivers under 21 with a BAC of .08% or more can be
prosecuted for the criminal offense of OUI, but the
license suspension must be for one year.
Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
BAC is a precise way of stating the amount of alcohol in
a quantity of blood. BAC can be measured with a breath
test or a blood test. If you have a BAC of .08% or more,
you can be found guilty by a court on this basis alone,
without further evidence.
Implied Consent
It is important for Maine drivers to remember that a
driver's license is not a right guaranteed under our
Constitution. It is a privilege that is administratively
issued and can be withdrawn by the State. Under Implied
Consent, you automatically agree to a chemical test
(blood, breath, or urine) at any time authorities have
probable cause to administer it.
If you refuse to take such a test for alcohol or drugs,
your driver's license will be immediately suspended. The
suspension could be for a period of up to six years.
Because it is an administrative suspension, no court
action is necessary. In addition, testimony from the
arresting officer regarding your driving performance can
result in an OUI conviction even without the BAC test!
If you are found guilty of OUI based on the police
officer's testimony, your refusal to take a test will be
considered as an aggravating factor by the judge and
another suspension, as well as mandatory jail time, will
be tacked on. So by refusing, you will have a Man in jail
much harsher penalty than if you'd taken the test.
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