Odds are that you’re well aware of the legal limit of .08% blood alcohol content (BAC) for driving in Colorado, as this is the same in all 50 states. If your BAC is recorded as .08% or higher, the authorities can presume you are impaired. You don’t have to break the limit to be impaired — and you can be arrested with a BAC below .08% — but this is a general guideline that the courts use.
But what if you’re not just commuting to work, but you actually drive for a living? Do you have the same BAC limits as any other driver?
Cut the BAC readings in half
The reality is that regulations hold commercial drivers to a higher standard. Their BAC limit is .04%, which is half of what non-commercial drivers may register legally. This means that a commercial driver could drink much less than a civilian driver and still be impaired enough to lose their CDL.
This is clearly a huge issue for commercial drivers. They may underestimate how intoxicated they are and assume that it is safe to drive. However, they operate under a different standard than most of the other drivers on the road.
And, if they do lose their CDL, the drunk driving arrest impacts their entire career. Most drivers worry about paying thousands of dollars in fines and court fees, but the consequences could be far higher for commercial drivers. They could lose tens of thousands of dollars since they are no longer able to work in their chosen profession.
Defending your future
If you are a commercial driver who is facing impaired driving charges, you don’t want this to define your future and your career. Make sure you know what options you have to defend yourself as your case moves forward.