Enforcement of DUI Law in Illinois Counties

 Posted on October 08, 2014 in Personal Injury

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol is an offense that happens all too frequently. While no DUI infraction should be taken lightly, there are those that are arguably more serious than others. For example, cases that involve a first-time offense or a driver who is just past the legal limit are likely to be considered less serious than those cases that involve repeat offenders or extremely high blood alcohol levels. Perhaps the most disturbing are those cases where DUI-related car accidents occur that cause serious bodily injury or death to another person. One would expect such offenders to face not only significant criminal penalties, but civil consequences as well. However, a recent article suggests that the inconsistent enforcement of DUI laws by local officials may result in little criminal consequence to DUI offenders, and often puts the safety of other drivers at risk.

Contravening the Purpose of DUI Law

The article focuses on the specific consequence of license suspension upon a conviction for most DUI offenses. Although being found guilty of a DUI offense should yield this result, the article alleges that many DUI offenders, particularly those in certain counties in Illinois, regularly avoid this result as their case makes its way through the courts. It is surmised that this happens mainly as the result of prosecutorial discretion in plea bargaining. In other words, prosecutors make deals with defense attorneys to reduce DUI-related charges, often resulting in large fines paid by the offender in exchange for keeping his or her license.

The inherent danger present in this supposed practice is that DUI offenders are still able to operate their vehicles, and may pose a real threat to others on the road. The article claims that in many communities in and around Chicago, DUI drivers are able to avoid a suspension completely, or have their suspension time significantly reduced. The argument is that while some DUI drivers may deserve leniency, many do not. DUI laws are in place to punish such behavior, provide deterrent against similar future behavior, and protect the public. Placing dangerous drivers back on the road and putting members of the public at risk goes against these efforts. Presumably, being tougher on such enforcement would effectively lead to fewer DUI-related crashes and therefore fewer deaths and injuries associated with DUIs.

Accident Injury Attorney

If you or someone you know was injured in an accident with a drunk driver, you likely have important legal rights that deserve protection. The experienced team of DuPage County car accident attorneys at Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices have successful experience representing clients in many different types of car accident cases. Please feel free to contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your matter. We have offices located in Lombard, Bloomingdale, and Naperville.