Pennsylvania residents are likely aware that although they might be pulled over for drunk driving, they usually will not be charged with a felony. However, felony charges for a DUI may soon be part of the law.

Pennsylvania may soon take a different stance on repeat offenses of drinking and driving. According to the York Daily Record, a new law would call for higher penalties for people who have numerous DUI convictions. Under this law, people might be sentenced to seven years in prison if they have at least two DUIs on their record and cause an accident while intoxicated that results in a person’s death. A third DUI conviction in a 10 year period would be considered a felony if this person had a blood alcohol content higher than .16 percent. Additionally, people whose license was suspended because of a DUI conviction might face more serious consequences if they continue to drive.

People might wonder what makes a felony DUI different from a general DUI charge. FindLaw says that a driver might be charged with a felony DUI if he or she has children in the car when driving while intoxicated. Additionally, a BAC higher than .08 percent can result in this charge. Harming another person can also cause someone to be charged with felony DUI. In this situation, the intoxicated driver does not always need to cause the death of another person. Simply wounding them is sufficient for a felony DUI charge.

Many aspects of the potential law are standard aspects of a felony DUI charge in other states. This includes driving with a suspended license and earning numerous DUI convictions within a specific time period.