Effective September 1, 2000, North Carolina's drunk driving laws will be strengthened yet again. The new law:
- Strengthens the open container law to prohibit anyone in motor vehicle from having open containers of beer or wine while in a public vehicular area. Strengthens the ignition-interlock requirement so that an offender will be required to have the alcohol-sensing device installed not just in his or her primary vehicle, but all vehicle registered in their name.
To view the full text of this statute, click here .
Effective July 1, 2000, North Carolina's drunk driving laws are tougher than ever. To target repeat offenders, the new law:
- Establishes a blood alcohol content of 0.04 for those who have been convicted of a DWI and have had their license reinstated. Establishes a blood alcohol content of 0.00 for those who have been convicted of a second DWI and have had their license reinstated.
- Requires those who are convicted of having a blood alcohol level of .16 or greater -- in other words, at twice the legal limit-- to use an ignition interlock system in their vehicles before their license is restored.
To view the full text of this statute, click here .
- In addition, North Carolina can now seize the vehicle of a driver whose license is revoked by another state, if the revocation is for an offense that is "substantially" similar to one -- if committed in North Carolina -- would make the vehicle subject to seizure. This would apply to a DWI violation charged to an out-of-state driver whose license has been revoked for a previous DWI.
