When charged with a Driving under the Influence in Nevada, among the penalties that you would be facing is attending a Nevada DUI school. More than anything, these DUI schools are designed to teach convicted drivers of the importance of driving safely and how DUI affects them and their victims.
If you are facing a DUI case, know that there is a chance of you being put under a compulsory attendance to one of the Nevada DUI schools. Proceed with this article to learn of what you should face the moment you are charged with it!
When do you get a Nevada DUI school penalty?
Usually, judges impose a Nevada DUI school attendance right at the first misdemeanor offense of a person. According to Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 484C.400, an offender will have to pay for their own tuition the Nevada DUI school and has to complete the Department-approved course in the mandatory time. For a second DUI offense within seven years which is also a misdemeanor, a longer DUI program might be brought down by the court. A third offense within the span of seven years, on the other hand, does not have a DUI school or DUI treatment program available as it is already a category B felony offense; which means the convicted will have to take part in a Victim Impact Panel, a meeting that will include the survivors and victims of different DUI incidents.
Reckless drivers, though there is no proven existence of substance abuse during driving, are still typically imposed with a charge of attending a Nevada DUI school so they would learn about the consequences if they committed a DUI in the future.
How do Nevada DUI schools work?
As we have stated before, it is the offender who would have to pay for their attendance in a Nevada DUI school. After the sentence, a court clerk will give the convicted the notice on when they could start their DUI class, usually, the time given is three to six months. Since first-time misdemeanor offenses of DUI only holds two days to six months of detention, the defendant will have plenty of time to take the classes.
Now, where do you go to for a Nevada DUI class? There are a lot of schools for DUI classes in Las Vegas as well as other reputable ones around Nevada. To have a specific list of the DUI schools for your consideration, go to Nevada’s Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) official website where they have provided a complete rundown.
Once in the Department-approved class, you will have to engage in activities as if you are back in school. There are lectures and even exams to take which are all meant to inform DUI offenders of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and prohibited substances. Regular DUI class in Las Vegas must be 8 hours in length (this is the common program chosen by judges) and should be completed once a day in a week. Online DUI classes are also available if you cannot physically make it to the school.
What are the penalties of violating Nevada DUI school rules?
Intentionally not completing your required time for a Nevada DUI school is punishable by law.
Usually, for first-time DUI offenses, the judge will permit a suspended sentence where the defendant can avoid being locked up if they follow probation regulations such as finishing a DUI class. Failing to do so will compel the judge to bring down the maximum six-month sentence to you.
However, if you have reasonable excuses on why you did not complete the DUI class then the judge will be convivial to grant an extension.
With the things mentioned above, Nevada DUI schools might seem an added burden but if you find yourself convicted of DUI, a course on how and why you should avoid it in the future will help you immensely as a law-abiding citizen. Still, most people do not want to spend their time attending a class especially if they did not commit the crime! A Nevada DUI attorney should help you ultimately avoid DUI school attendance and other hefty Nevada DUI charges!