The pickup’s driver continued to drive and hit another vehicle head on. This seriously injured two people. Soon after that, a semi-truck smashed into the pickup truck and split the vehicle in half. Police said the pickup’s driver was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. He was also not wearing a seat belt. If you know you’re going to be drinking, please drink responsibly to avoid unfortunate circumstances such as this.
Related: Seat Belts Can Be The Difference Between Life or Death With Kentucky Drivers
Statistics
- One person is killed every half-hour due to drunk driving.
- Each year, approximately 16,000 are killed in alcohol-related crashes.
- Alcohol is a factor in almost half of all traffic fatalities.
- Every other minute, a person is seriously injured in an alcohol-related crash.
- About 1/3 of DUI offenders are repeated.
Current DUI Laws
The State of Kentucky prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle by a driver that has a .08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or above. The .08 percentage limit is the standard measurement for states across the country. The State of Kentucky has harsher laws for a DUI with aggravated circumstances. These circumstances include: transporting a child under the age of 12, driving 30 mph over the speed limit, driving the wrong direction, causing an accident while impaired and other infractions.
Related: Kentucky DUI Bill To Be Presented For The 6th Time
The first time you receive a drunk driving conviction in Kentucky you will be fined from $200 to $500. You will also spend a minimum two to 30 days in jail or receive from two to 30 days of community service. Your driver’s license will be suspended from 30 to 120 days. If you are charged with an aggravated DUI, you will spend four days in jail.
An aggravated DUI means you commit one of the following acts while you are driving drunk:
- Speeding 30 MPH over the limit
- Driving the wrong direction
- Being involved in an accident
- Driving with a child under the age of 12-years-old
- Driving with a BAC of .18 or above
- Refusing to submit to a chemical test
Penalties for a DUI
The penalties increase for each offense. For a second DUI, there is a minimum of seven days in jail, a fine from $350 to $500 and a 12 to 18 month license suspension. If you are convicted for a third DUI in Kentucky, you will be fined from $500 to $1,000. You will also be ordered to one year of alcohol or substance abuse treatment. You will spend anywhere from 30 days to 12 months in jail and from 10 days to 6 months of community service. Your driver’s license will be suspended from 24 to 36 months. The fourth time you are convicted of drunk driving in Kentucky, you will be charged with a Class “D” Felony. You will be ordered to a one year alcohol or substance abuse treatment program and spend a minimum of 120 days in jail without probation. You may also be sentenced to 10 days to one year of community service. Your driver’s license will be suspended from 24 to 36 months. You will also spend 60 days in jail if aggravated circumstances were involved.
Related: Wrong-Way Crashes in Kentucky
If you are going to an event where you know you are going to be drinking, please drink responsibly. It’s also important that you know what your limits. You may feel like you can safely drive home, but in reality, you may not be able to safely drive home. That’s why you should plan ahead. If you’re going to an event with a group, then agree on who is going to be the designated driver. If you’re driving yourself, then plan on calling a taxi or family member to pick you up and drive you home. This will help everyone get home safely.