Don’t let this happen to you
Don’t drink and drive
Drunk or drug-impaired driving is a common, but preventable, cause of traffic crashes in Wisconsin.
Alcohol is involved in more than 1/3 of all fatal traffic crashes in the state, making alcohol-related traffic deaths the single largest component of all Wisconsin traffic fatalities.
Prevention
In spite of progress in reducing alcohol-impaired crashes, the drunk driving problem will not be solved until people change their attitudes toward drinking and driving.
Avoid driving if you've been drinking. Even a small amount of alcohol in your system can impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Don't let your friends drive if they've had too much to drink. Someone who gets behind the wheel after he's been drinking is in danger of harming himself or others.
Plan ahead. If you plan to be drinking, your evening out will be safer and more enjoyable if you have decided ahead of time how you will get home safely and who will drive. It's best to designate a driver who won't be drinking.
What to Expect if You Drink and Drive
| Conviction | Fine or forfeiture | Jail | Suspension or revocation | Alcohol assessment | Demerit points |
| OWI, First (Per se AC > .08) |
$150-$3006 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) |
No | 6-9 months revocation | Yes |
6
|
| OWI, Second (Per se AC > .08) |
$350-$1,100 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) |
5 days to 6 months | 12-18 months revocation Vehicle immobilized or equipped with IID |
Yes |
6
|
| OWI, Third (Per se AC > .08) |
$600-$2,000 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) |
30 days to 1 year | 2-3 years revocation Vehicle immobilized or equipped with IID or may be seized | Yes |
6
|
| OWI, Fourth (Per se AC > .02) |
$600-$2,000 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) |
60 days to 1 year | 2-3 years revocation Vehicle immobilized or equipped with IID or may be seized | Yes |
6
|
| OWI, Fifth or more (Per se AC > .02) |
$600-$10,000 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) |
6 months to 6 years imprisonment | 2-3 years revocation Vehicle immobilized or equipped with IID or may be seized | Yes |
6
|
| Causing Injury While OWI | $300-$2,000 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) | 30 days to 1 year | 1-2 years revocation | Yes |
6
|
| Causing Great Bodily Harm by OWI | Up to $25,000 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) |
Up to 12.5 years imprisonment | 2 years revocation | Yes |
6
|
| Homicide While OWI | Up to $100,000 (plus $355 OWI surcharge) | Up to 25 years or, if one or more prior OWI-related offense, up to 40 years | 5 years revocation | Yes |
6
|
| Chemical Test Refusal (First) | 1-year revocation | Yes |
0
|
||
| Chemical Test Refusal (Second) | 2-year revocation Vehicle immobilized or equipped with IID |
Yes |
0
|
||
| Chemical Test Refusal (Third or greater) | 3-year revocation Vehicle immobilized or equipped with IID or may be seized |
Yes |
0
|
||
| Administrative Suspension for Prohibited Alcohol Concentration | 6 months suspension |
0
|
|||
| Open Container (Driver or passenger) | $100 |
0
|
Reproduced with permission from the State of Wisconsin, Department of Transportation
For more information, visit their website