A DUI (driving under the influence) felony occurs when a driver is convicted of a serious DUI charge or has prior convictions for DUI driving. For a driver to be charged with a straight DUI felony regardless of their prior record, the driver usually has been involved in an accident or an accident that has lead to serious damages or even fatalities. Additionally, a felony charge can occur if a DUI driver has any minors in the vehicle when they are pulled over. DUI felony charges are much more severe than the typical misdemeanor charges. On top of longer periods of suspended licenses and higher insurance rate hikes (or even a loss of insurance), felony charges can carry long prison terms, huge fines and other unique penalties, depending on the state. These include having vehicles seized, having interlocking ignition devices placed on a car and being assigned 'DUI' license plates. Felony DUI drivers can also be placed into alcohol rehabilitation programs that can last for years.