Alcohol related driving offenses, which include Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI), are always very controversial issues in state legislatures. Colorado is no exception. Because of the number of accidents caused by drinking and driving every year in Colorado, new laws are consistently being proposed. Political pressure on lawmakers tend to push for laws to get tougher on drivers rather than more lenient. Therefore, the laws change frequently and penalties get more severe every year.

For example, the “legal limit” for DUI used to be .15 BAC, and it has dropped in numerous years, and presently .05 BAC is the official limit for a driver being presumed guilty in a DWAI charge. Driver’s license consequences have become more severe as well, requiring two years of an interlock device in many cases including first-time offenses. Minimum jail sentences have been created for certain offenses.

In this day and age, having an attorney assist a person charged with DUI or DWAI is essential in decoding the numerous laws and possible outcomes of a case.