For a commercial driver, a DUI arrest is an extremely serious matter. A commercial driver relies upon his or her ability to operate a commercial vehicle in order to make a living, and an arrest alone may place his or her job in jeopardy.

In Florida, a commercial driver is governed by particular laws and penalties.

A commercial driver may not operate a motor vehicle while with a blood alcohol concentration of .04% or greater (half the legal limit for normal drivers)

A commercial driver who is convicted of driving with a blood alcohol level of .04% or greater will be disqualified from operating a commercial vehicle for 1 year.

Additional terms for disqualification may include: refusal of a breath or blood test, operating a commercial vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance or of alcohol, or driving a commercial vehicle while in possession of a controlled substance.

A second DUI conviction or conviction for any of the other terms listed above will result in permanent disqualification from driving a commercial vehicle.

A person convicted of commercial DUI may not obtain a hardship license to operate a commercial vehicle.

Any disqualification penalties for a commercial DUI will be enforced in addition to criminal penalties resulting from a driving under the influence conviction.

Bradley Collins knows the special concerns of the commercial driver facing a DUI, having aggressively defended Commercial DUI offenses for more than 30 years.