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THE CONSEQUENCES:
-
Upon conviction for First Offense DUI, a person is subject to the
following penalties:
-
A sentence of 11 months, 29 days, with a minimum of 48 hours in
jail, or a minimum of 7 days in jail if, at the time of
the offense, the defendant's blood alcohol level was .20%
or higher;
-
A minimum $350.00 fine and court costs;
-
Loss of driver’s license for a period of one year
-
Enrollment in a court approved DUI education course.
-
License revocation for one year is also required when a defendant
is found to have refused to submit to a chemical (blood,
breath, or urine) test after being lawfully requested to
do so. This may apply even where the defendant is not
convicted of DUI.
In addition, under Tennessee driving law persons under
the age of 18 may lose their privileges for:
-
Convictions of any drug or alcohol offense, whether or not the
offense occurred while driving;
-
Dropping out of school (which is defined as having ten
consecutive or 15 total days in a semester of unexcused
absences);
-
Failure to make satisfactory progress in school (which in general
means passing three subjects per grading period); or
-
Weapons violations.
Tennessee Point Reduction System:
|
Violation
Type |
- Points |
|
Speeding
1 through 5 mph in excess of speed zone |
- 1 |
|
Speeding
6 through 15 mph in excess of speed zone |
- 3 |
|
Speeding
16 through 25 mph in excess of speed zone |
- 4 |
|
Speeding
26 through 35 mph in excess of speed zone |
- 5 |
|
Speeding
36 through 45 mph in excess of speed zone |
- 6 |
|
Speeding
46 and above in excess of speed zone |
- 8 |
|
Signs and
control devices – failure to obey traffic
instructions |
- 4 |
|
Improper
passing – passing where prohibited |
- 4 |
|
Following
improperly |
- 4 |
|
Failing
to yield the right of way |
- 3 |
|
Making
improper turn |
- 4 |
|
Failure
to signal intention to change vehicle direction |
- 3 |
|
Passing
school bus taking on or discharging passengers |
- 2 |
|
Following
emergency vehicles unlawfully |
- 6 |
|
Speed
less than posted minimum |
- 2 |
|
Violation
of bumper law conviction |
- 3 |
|
Driving
without being licensed or without license required
for type of vehicle operated |
- 4 |
|
Driving
while license under suspension, revocation, or
cancellation |
- 3 |
|
Careless
or negligent driving |
- 8 |
|
Violation
of driver license restrictions |
- 4 |
|
Reckless
endangerment by vehicle – misdemeanor |
- 8 |
|
Miscellaneous traffic violations failing to maintain
control, improper control, etc., or any offense
involving the operation of a motor vehicle not herein
specified |
- 3 |
|
Leaving
the scene of an accident (property damage only) |
- 5 |
|
Failure
to report an accident |
- 4 |
|
Fleeing
law enforcement officer (misdemeanor) |
- 6 |
|
Driving
while ability impaired |
- 6 |
|
