Understanding Oregon’s Implied Consent Law

Most mature people understand that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is inherently dangerous and illegal. There is never a good reason to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after using drugs or drinking too much alcohol because doing so increases the chances of being in an accident. The data bears this out. Recently, the Oregon Department of Transportation indicated that Oregon impaired driving crashes are on the rise.

When you drink alcohol, your mental and physical abilities are altered, and the more you drink, the harder it becomes to function in almost any activity, including driving. Legally, even if you feel like you are in good shape to drive, if you are pulled over and your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08% or higher, the law is clear and doesn’t deviate from protocol. You are impaired. In some situations, even if your BAC is lower than the legal limit, it can still be possible to be arrested for drunk driving.

Drunk driving claims the lives of at least 37 people every day in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Countless serious injuries are also sustained daily from such incidents. Drunk driving is reckless and illegal, which means that if you were hurt in an accident caused by a drunk driver, you may be owed significant financial compensation for your losses. A Portland drunk driving accident attorney at Rosenbaum Law Group can help you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.

What Does Oregon’s Implied Consent Law Say? 

Oregon’s Implied Consent Law says that when you drive a car, you essentially have agreed to take a breath, blood, or urine test if a police officer pulls you over and asks you to take one. As a result, you will be penalized if you refuse because you would be violating the law. Refusing a breath, blood, or urine test can lead to penalties such as fines and/or suspension of your driving privileges.

While adults 21 years of age and older can generally have a BAC of up to 0.08%, drivers under 21 fall under Oregon’s Zero Tolerance Law, this means that any amount of alcohol detected will lead to punishments because young drivers are not permitted to have any alcohol while driving.

Also, it is important to understand that even if you have not had a single drink, you could find yourself in trouble with the law if you have alcohol in your car and the seal of the container is broken. Open bottles or containers with alcohol are only permitted in the trunk per Oregon’s Open Container laws.

Speak to an Oregon Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Today 

If you were injured by a drunk driver in Portland,  it is essential that you recoup the full amount of compensation you are owed. To learn more about your rights and how to file an injury claim, please call the experienced Portland personal injury lawyers at the Rosenbaum Law Group today at (503) 288-8000. Initial consultations are complimentary.

Source:

oregon.gov/odot/Safety/Documents/Impaired_Driving_in_Oregon_Focus_on_Region_1_01-04-2024.pdf