As of the New Year, drivers in 5 Washington counties/ municipalities that are found to be under the influence for a second or subsequent time will face tougher punishment. The 24/7 DUI Monitoring Program will take place in: Chelan County, Spokane County, and Thurston County, as well as in the cities of Kent and Centralia. Drivers charged with their second DUI in those counties will face a judge who may place them in a pilot program that requires daily monitoring of any substance use. The program will require an individual to report to jail twice a day to give a breath test or pay more for an ankle monitor. To add insult to injury, offenders will pay the bill – $4 a day for the breath test and up to $12 a day for the ankle monitor. Presumably if this pilot program is successful, it will be extended to other counties and municipalities in and around our great state.
Washington State DUI laws are some of the strictest laws in the nation. Pilot programs like the 24/7 DUI Monitoring Program are making them even tougher. Hiring a Seattle DUI attorney to help can – at a minimum – reduce those penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their DUI charge. So it should go without saying that someone cited for DUI should hire a qualified Seattle DUI attorney as soon as possible. Driving Under the Influence charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with DUI in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle DUI lawyer.