Drunk driving is extremely dangerous and leads to thousands of automobile crashes each year in Minnesota. Many of these accidents result in injuries or even deaths, but what happens if you get in a drunk driving accident but there are no injuries? Will your case be different than if you had simply been pulled over by police? We explore how DWI accidents without injuries are handled in Minnesota.
DUI Without Injuries
If you end up in a traffic accident and police arrive on scene, they will likely assess each driver to see if either may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They may not be obvious in their search, but if they notice that one party is slurring their words or they smell alcohol on the driver’s breath, they may begin working to determine if the individual is under the influence of alcohol.
A drunk driving accident that involves injuries will obviously result in more severe charges, as you’ll face gross misdemeanor or felony charges based on the severity of the injuries to your passengers, to people in other vehicles or to pedestrians. As we detailed in this blog, charges will either be for causing bodily harm, substantial bodily harm, great bodily harm/harm to an unborn child or a fatality, and you can learn more about each charge on that other blog page.
But what happens if you are involved in a single car accident without injuries, or you have a minor fender bender with another party where no injuries occur? In these situations, it is unlikely that you DWI will be upgraded based on the accident. When no injuries occur, your DWI will be decided based on whether or not there were aggravating factors that could increase the charge. A normal DWI will be a fourth degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and fines up to $1,000, but if you have a high BAC, children in the vehicle or previous DWI convictions on your record, that charge will be upgraded to a gross misdemeanor or a felony.
You will not face an upgraded DWI charge because you were involved in an accident that had no injuries, but that doesn’t mean the DWI is the only charge you’ll face. If any traffic laws were broken as a result of the actions that led to your accident, you may face some additional traffic citations. If you failed to maintain a safe speed or were traveling too fast for conditions, police may also issue some traffic citations at the scene of your accident, but your DWI will not be upgraded if nobody is injured in the wreck.
Obviously we hope that you make smart decisions behind the wheel and avoid drunk driving, but if you end up in trouble, know that you need a professional in your corner to help you navigate the upcoming legal challenges. We’ve handled countless DWI cases, and we can help you avoid a worst case scenario with your outcome. For more information, or for help with a different criminal charge, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
