February 26, 2015 | DUI Penalties, License Suspension
Did you know that your driving record in one state is being shared with officials in most other states? The Interstate Driver’s License Compact (IDLC) is an agreement between 45 states and the District of Columbia to share and exchange information regarding your driving record and driving violations. In essence, a driver has only one countrywide driving record and it is shared amongst the states.
Specifically, the member states have agreed to share driving records and arrests with regards to DUI and DWI offenses nationwide. The State of Ohio has been an active, reporting member of the IDLC since 1987. Ohio’s Revised Code codifies its participation in the compact.
How Does the Interstate Driver’s License Compact Affect You?
Ohio’s OVI laws are similar to other states’ DUI or DWI offenses. In Ohio “operating a vehicle under the influence”(OVI) of drugs or alcohol brings with it severe penalties. The magnitude of the penalty depends on how many violations of the OVI laws a person has already been convicted of in the state.
The Interstate Driver’s License Compact can have an enormous impact on the driving, the arrest and the criminal records of an Ohio resident caught operating a car while intoxicated in another state.
For example, if an Ohio driver is arrested for DUI in Indiana, authorities from the state of Indiana will inform authorities from the state of Ohio about the arrest. Ohio will then treat the Indiana DUI incident as if it happened in Ohio and apply Ohio’s OVI laws to the driver.
To go one step further, an Ohio resident driver who has been convicted before of a first-time OVI in Ohio has now been arrested for a DUI in Indiana. The arrest in Indiana may now be treated by Ohio as a second-time OVI offense and affect the severity of the driver’s punishment in Ohio.
Just because you were convicted of DUI in one state does not mean that it will not follow you to Ohio. A DUI arrest and conviction anywhere in the nation will impact your driving privileges in Ohio. The only states that do not report DUI incidents to others are Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia and Tennessee. All other states and the District of Columbia participate in the compact and will report the offense to authorities in Ohio.
What to do if you are arrested for DUI in another state
Whenever you are dealing with a DUI or OVI arrest, you should hire an attorney who specializes in criminal defense. However, when arrested outside your home state for DUI, you should talk with a DUI attorney acquainted with the laws of both the state of the arrest and Ohio.
If you or someone you know has been arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, please contact one of the experienced attorneys at Suhre & Associates, LLC today. Our trustworthy and competent attorneys are here to guide and help you deal with your OVI charge.
To learn more, call our Dayton criminal defense law firm at (937) 531-0435 or visit our contact us page to send us an email.
