If you’ve pled guilty or have been convicted of a DUI, odds are that your driver’s license has been suspended. It is standard operating procedure in the Pennsylvania judicial system to revoke the driving privileges of those that are guilty of driving under the influence. However, if you are caught driving while your license is suspended, you are opening yourself up to additional sanctions.
The inconveniences of not having an operating license are obvious. However, they pale in comparison to the penalties associated with getting caught driving without one. If you are simply caught driving while your license is suspended, you will be fined and your license can be suspended for additional time.
If, however, you are caught driving without a license and you are under the influence, the penalties are far more severe. The penalties depend on the amount of alcohol in your system and how many DUIs you have had in the past:
(1) If your license was suspended or revoked due to alcohol-offenses such as DUI, you may be charged with a summary offense and your sentence may involve a $500 fine, and imprisonment for between 60 and 90 days.
(2) If your license was suspended for an alcohol offense, and you have a certain amount of alcohol in your system when you are pulled over for driving after suspension or revocation, your sentence may carry a $1,000 fine and imprisonment for a minimum of 90 days.
(3) For a second offense in this situation, you may be charged with a third-degree misdemeanor. Your sentence may include a $2,500 fine and imprisonment for at least six months.
(4) For a third or subsequent offense, you may be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor and your sentence may involve a $5,000 fine and a two year prison sentence.
In addition, your license will be suspended for an additional year each time you are caught driving with a DUI suspended license. Clearly, these penalties can add up quickly. Do not take the chance by driving if your license has been suspended because of a DUI. If, however, you are charged with such an offense, contact the experienced criminal law attorneys at Gusty Sunseri & Associates, P.C. for a free consultation.
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