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Special rules for DUIs involving commercial and school vehicles

Many people consume alcohol every day in Philadelphia. Afterwards some of them decide to drive. As a result many people are charged with a DUI every year. Some have consumed more alcohol than others, though. The law understands that and has divided the consequences for a DUI into three categories with increasing penalties for people who have a higher blood alcohol level and for those with multiple DUIs.

However, there are different rules for people who are driving commercial or school busses and other school vehicles. For people driving their own vehicles, a person must have a blood alcohol content level of less than .08% in order to be able to legally drive. However, for people driving commercial vehicles, the driver must have a blood alcohol level below .04%. If the person is driving a school bus or vehicle the BAC level limit is even lower at a .02%. Just like any driver, people driving commercial and school vehicles can face penalties for being under the influence of controlled substances.

The penalties for DUIs are severe for people driving commercial and school vehicles. Offenses range from fines stretching into the thousands of dollars, participation in alcohol education courses and even jail time. If an accident occurs and causes bodily injury, a DUI defendant can be facing extremely harsh penalties. In addition, if a DUI defendant is convicted, he or she is likely to face great difficulty in continuing in his or her occupational field as a driver.

Many people in Philadelphia are hit with DUI charges. However, people who are driving commercial vehicles or school vehicles are held to higher standards than those who are driving private vehicles. Experienced DUI attorneys understand the consequences and possible defenses to DUI charges and can be an extremely useful resource.

Source: Pennsylvania DMV, “Pennsylvania Statute Chapter 38 § 3802(f),” accessed March 23, 2015

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