If you live in Boston and face Operating Under the Influence charges, you are not alone. The Boston Herald reports that Boston holds the dubious honor of being the number two city in the nation for drunk driving convictions.
This startling news comes from a nationwide study conducted by QuoteWizard, an auto insurance company. Per this study, the top five U.S. cities with the most OUI/DWI/DUI convictions are the following:
- Greensboro, SC
- Boston, MA
- Columbus, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Boise, ID
OUI conviction penalties
The penalties for an OUI conviction increase as your number of convictions increase. If convicted of a first-offense OUI, you face up to 2-1/2 years in jail, plus a maximum $5,000 fine. In addition, the state likely will suspend your driver’s license for one year. Unlike in most states, however, you will not have to install an interlock device in your vehicle in order to get your license back. Massachusetts’s Melanie’s Law requires interlock device installation only after receiving two or more OUI convictions.
Your second OUI conviction will result in a mandatory 30-day jail sentence, but you could receive a sentence of up to 2-1/2 years. Your fine amount increases to a maximum of $10,000, and your license suspension period increases to two years. The mandatory interlock device provision now comes into effect in order to get your license back.
You will spend at least 150 days in jail after a third OUI conviction, and could receive a 5-year prison sentence if this conviction represents a felony. Your fine amount could be as high as $15,000, and your driver’s license will become suspended for eight years, with interlock device installation mandatory in order to get it reinstated.