What Happens if You Get a DUI While Driving a Rented Car

If you’re in your own automobile or driving a rented car, you’ll be arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI). Most major automobile rental companies will conduct a background check to see if you have ever been convicted of drunk driving. If you have a DUI/DWI conviction on your record, renting a car may be difficult. This includes renting a specific vehicle such as a truck, van, or recreational vehicle. Simply put, rental companies don’t want to risk renting cars to persons who might damage them or endanger others.

Fortunately, a DUI arrest in a rented car is similar to any other DUI arrest. An experienced DUI lawyer can assist you in understanding the potential consequences of your arrest, as well as the most effective defense techniques to use based on the specifics of your case. In the best-case situation, your lawyer may be able to help you minimize or dismiss the accusations brought against you. At the very least, always ensure that you call your lawyer after you have been arrested due to a DUI, as having legal counsel present can (in some cases) help reduce the number of fines you will have to deal with! Here is what happens if you get a DUI while driving a rented car.

Are There Additional Legal Penalties for a DUI Conviction in a Rental Vehicle?

In most cases, whether you’re driving your own automobile or a leased car, an arrest for driving under the influence is the same. If a police officer pulls you over on suspicion of drunk driving, you’ll almost certainly be asked to take a series of field sobriety tests. Their decision to arrest you will be influenced by your performance on these examinations. You’ll be arrested, processed, and requested to submit to a blood alcohol content test if the police can demonstrate probable cause that you were driving under the influence. This is true regardless of the sort of vehicle you were driving.

If you’re caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or above, you can be charged with driving under the influence, regardless of the vehicle. Whether or not you are convicted of the crime, you may face administrative consequences such as a license suspension and fees if you are legitimately arrested for DUI. You may face extra criminal penalties if you are convicted of DUI.

The court will send you a summons in the mail after your initial arrest. This paper will notify you when your preliminary hearing is scheduled. Before this hearing, it’s always a good idea to contact a DUI lawyer. Your lawyer will examine the facts in your case and advise you on your alternatives and defenses so that you can avoid possible jail time and other fines if you are convicted.

License Confiscation

During a DUI arrest, your driver’s license may be taken away in most states. You cannot lawfully drive without a valid driver’s license, and you cannot rent a car without one. If you were charged with a DUI while driving a rental automobile, you’d have a lot of trouble returning it. When you are released, you may be given a temporary license that permits you to return the automobile to the rental agency. If the police believe that you are not fit to drive, they may contact the automobile rental firm to arrange for the car to be picked up.

Impounded Vehicle

The rental car may be confiscated depending on the state to prevent future drunk driving incidents or if it is damaged in an accident. Extra daily charges, maintenance, and returning the vehicle to the rental agency are all your responsibility. If you purchased collision insurance via the rental agency, it may not cover the cost of repairs, the time the vehicle was in the shop, or the period the vehicle was out of service as a result of drunk driving.

Prosecution

When there is enough evidence, including the results of the field sobriety test, drunk driving charges will be filed against you. Immediately after your DUI arrest, you should consult a lawyer who specializes in DUI or DWI defense. Before you may drive again, you may be forced to have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle, such as the products we provide at Draeger US Interlock (DUI). You may also be forced to get a cheap non-owner’s auto insurance, or even an SR22 insurance “high-risk” designation. This requirement may appear on your driver’s license, and you may be unable to rent a car in the future.

Returning Your Rental Car to the Agency

You’ll have to think about how you’ll return the rental car to the company. Your license will very certainly be confiscated if you are arrested, making it difficult to return the rental car. You and your criminal defense lawyer might be able to persuade the judge to grant you a temporary license so that you can return the car to the agency. If that doesn’t work, the cops may contact the rental agency and have someone from the office come pick it up. This can either occur immediately after the crime, or at a later time.

Is There Any Way Around This?

The answer is maybe. Getting a DUI is quite a tricky situation because it depends on the state. You may be able to apply to have your DUI expunged after you’ve received a DUI and completed all the required punishments. That is, once the expungement is effective, it will delete it entirely from your record (Note: If your DUI is expunged and you get another DUI, it would still count as your second DUI.) Alternatively, you could be in a situation where it stays on your record for years, decades, or even forever. So, once again, the situation is entirely dependent on your state laws and regulations.

We hope you have found our article informative and that you now know more about what happens if you get a DUI while driving a rented car! While this situation can be hard to manage, if you stress driver’s safety and follow all the steps to regaining your driving privilege, you will be back on the road within a reasonable time frame.