In 2005, I was pulled over and charged with DUI in Washington where I live and I plead guilty of negligent driving second degree. I was wondering when will this be removed from my driving record, when the plea was entered or at the time of the incident?

Alicia

Kent, WA

The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) states that violations are placed on your driving record at the time of the violation conviction.

According to the DOL site the most convictions, court findings stating a violation was committed are place on your driving record for a period of five years from the conviction or adjudication date. Alcohol related offense are kept on your Washington driver’s abstract for a period of fifteen years from the conviction date.

Departmental actions, such as revocations, suspension or disqualifications are kept on a WA State driver’s record for five years from the final release date. So if your drivers license was suspended during this process of pleading down the DUI to a negligent driving charge in Kent, WA then that will remain on your record for five years as well.

If you have other questions regarding the amount of time convictions/violations are kept on your driving history or want a copy of your driving record, you may contact the WA DOL directly.

A friend of mine was arrested for DUI in Washington and none of us actually really know what happens after a DUI arrest. What does he need to understand about his DUI case first and foremost?

Cailyn

Renton, WA

The very first thing that your friend needs to understand after his DUI arrest in Renton, Washington is that he is facing two separate prosecutions. The first case would be with the Washington State Department of Licensing. If he either provided a blood or breath sample that was above .08 percent, or he refused to submit to a blood or breath test at the hospital or police station, the Washington State Department of Licensing would attempt to suspend his driver’s license for a minimum 90 days to one year.

The second case that he would face after his DUI arrest is in the Washington criminal court system. The court where he will be ordered to appear would depend largely on where he was arrested. The DUI criminal court trial would start at his arraignment wherein he would enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest. If he hired a DUI lawyer, he would not be required to appear on his first court date.

My father is a company driver and just two days ago, he was charged with DUI here in Washington. He wasn’t fired by the company he works for because he has been employed there for more than a decade and this is his first DUI charge. What would be the effects of his DUI arrest on his job as a driver?

Izzie

Shoreline, WA

A DUI arrest in Washington State sets in motion two ways that your father can suffer due to loss of his license. First is the administrative license suspension at the hands of the Department of Licensing and by court action if he is subsequently convicted of DUI.

Immediately after the DUI arrest, if he didn’t refuse the blood alcohol test, his driver’s license will be suspended for 90 days and he may be eligible to have a temporary restricted license but only after he has served 30 days of the suspension. Thus, since his job absolutely depends upon driving, a DUI arrest can make him unable to perform his job for a minimum of 30 days.

If he survives the 30 days of absolute suspension, he will then be eligible for a temporary restricted license which will permit him to drive to and from work for the remaining 60 days of the 90-day license suspension. His employer must sign the temporary restricted license application.

Since your father is driving a company car, as a condition of granting a temporary restricted license after a DUI arrest, the Washington State Department of Licensing requires proof that an ignition interlock device is installed in the vehicle that your father is driving. This device is a breath testing machine attached to the car’s ignition that he must blow into every time he starts the vehicle and also periodically while driving the vehicle. The car will not start if alcohol is present and the horn will honk and lights flash if alcohol is detected while driving.