Last updated : November 18, 2024
Once upon a not too distant time, drinking and driving was not considered taboo like it is today. However, as the negative consequences of drinking and driving became more and more noticeable, the laws quickly changed to severely punish those caught drinking and getting behind the wheel of an automobile. Unfortunately, driving under the influence of drugs does not receive the same media attention as driving under the influence of alcohol, even though the consequences in most states, including Wisconsin, are just as severe.
Drugged driving is plain and simply a public health concern. Similar to alcohol, drugs impair an individual’s motor functions, judgment, and reaction time. Drugged driving laws have lagged far behind alcohol-related driving laws because of the need for drug detection technology, but in the state of Wisconsin, the amount of drugs in a person’s system is irrelevant.Anyone caught driving under the slightest influence of any drug, legal or illegal, can be arrested and convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, commonly called OWI by Wisconsin residents. Even though some drugs, such as marijuana, can linger in a person’s system long after they have taken the drug, anyone can be tested if an officer feels they demonstrate reasonable suspicion, and they can suffer quite substantial consequences. The “per se” laws of the state of Wisconsin make it illegal to operate a motor vehicle if there is the slightest presence of a prohibited drug in a driver’s blood.
Wisconsin and other states around the country have begun implementing Drug Evaluation and Classification Programs in order to train officers as Drug Recognition Experts. As such, officers are trained to recognize the appearance and behaviors of anyone under the influence of a variety of drugs. If any officer suspects that a person is driving under the influence of drugs, they have the authority to make an individual provide a blood or urine sample that is taken to a laboratory for confirmation of a drug’s presence in their system.
If drugs are found to be in an individual’s system, they can then be prosecuted under the same laws that pertain to driving under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, Wisconsin residents found guilty of driving under the influence of drugs can face severe repercussions that involve the following consequences:
- First offense – A first OWI conviction is a misdemeanor that results in a fine of $150 to $300.
- Second Offense within 10 years – A second OWI conviction is a misdemeanor that results in a fine of $350 to $1,100, imprisonment of five days to six months, and a revocation of license for a period of 12 to 18 months.
- Third Offense within Lifetime – A third OWI conviction is a misdemeanor that results in a fine of $600 to $2,000, imprisonment of 30 days to one year, and a revocation of license for a period of two to three years.
- Fourth Offense within Lifetime – A fourth OWI is a misdemeanor offense that results in a fine of $600 to $2,000, imprisonment of 60 days to one year, and a revocation of license for a period of two to three years.
- Fourth Offense within Five Years of a Previous Offense – A fourth OWI within five years of another OWI offense is a Class H felony that results in a fine of at least $600 and imprisonment of at least six months.
- Fifth and Sixth Offense within a Lifetime – A fifth and sixth OWI offense in a person’s lifetime is also a Class H felony that results in a fine of at least $600 to $10,000 and imprisonment of up to six years.
- Seven to Nine Offenses – Seven to nine OWI offenses within a person’s lifetime is a Class G felony that results in a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment from three to ten years.
- Ten or More Offenses – Ten or more OWI offenses in a person’s lifetime results in a fine of at least $25,000 and imprisonment from four to 12 ½ years.
With such strict OWI laws, businesses cannot afford to hire, train, and depend upon employees that use illegal drugs and run the risk of losing their driving privileges or becoming imprisoned. Thankfully, there are numerous drug testing companies that administer pre-employment drug testing to test for marijuana, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, and other illegal drugs to ensure that businesses only hire people that do not use these dangerous substances. In today’s day and age, every business should utilize such services as part of their hiring process and select the best employees possible.
