HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.– Today, Pennsylvania Parents Against Impaired Driving (PPAID) are continuing their efforts to get lawmakers to toughen DUI penalties.
Along with some area prosecutors ad legislators, the group will ask Senate and House leaders to target “high-risk” offenders. Those offenders include repeat DUI offenders, high-alcohol-level drivers, and drug-impaired drivers.
A number of bills have been drafted to increase the penalties.
For example, a bill to create a felony statute for repeat offenders has been discussed, and Pennsylvania is one of only four states without such a bill.
Another bill discussed would increase penalties who kill or injured individuals in DUI crashes.
Currently, these are the standards of DUI Law in Pennsylvania:
1st Offense | 2nd offense | 3rd Offense | |
Minimum Jail | No minimum jail time required | 5 days jail to 6 months | 10 days jail to two years |
Fines and Penalties | $300 | $300 to $2500 | $500 to $5000 |
License Suspension | No | 12 months | 12 months |
IID* Required | Yes, if refusal to take chemical test | Yes, during period of restricted license | Yes, during period of restricted license |
As you can see, no minimum jail time is required for a person’s first DUI offense in Pennsylvania.
However, a person could serve a minimum of 5 days as a repeat offender who received their second DUI.
Our question is, should a first DUI offense be punishable by mandatory jail time?