There are a lot of things West Virginia residents may or may not know about what happens after being charged with impaired driving. A DUI charge, whether for drunk or otherwise intoxicated driving, carries many penalties. One of these is the required completion of a combined safety and treatment program.
In West Virginia, after a person has a DUI conviction placed on his or her record, that individual will lose his or her license. This is true regardless of the severity of the DUI charge. When this happens, it does not necessarily mean that they will never have the ability to regain their driving privileges. In many cases, it is possible to get licenses reinstated.
In order to regain driving privileges, an individual with a DUI is required to attend and complete state mandated programs for safety and treatment. The safety portion of this requirement involves an 18-hour educational program about the dangers of driving while impaired. The treatment portion, on the other hand, involves a person submitting to a substance abuse evaluation and receiving any further care needed based on that evaluation. Those with multiple DUIs on their records will likely be required to receive treatments through clinically-based substance abuse programs before they will be eligible to have their licenses reinstated.
It is possible to fight an accusation of DUI in West Virginia, though. Those who are successful in doing so can avoid this and any other potential penalties that follow intoxicated driving convictions. An experienced defense attorney can assist in either clearing this type of charge from a person's record, or by helping that individual achieve the best possible outcome for his or her specific circumstances.
Source: wvlegislature.gov, "WV DUI Safety and Treatment Program Requirements",