The first step in avoiding a DUI is of course, NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE. The reason we have strict laws and severe penalties in place regarding the issue of dangerous driving is because an automobile can become very deadly very quickly if the person operating it loses their cognitive control and motor skills due to the consumption of alcohol, narcotics, or prescription sedatives. In 2009 alone nearly 11,000 people were killed in the U.S. due to automobile accidents resulting from alcohol-impaired driving, nearly one-third of all automobile-related fatalities for that year.
Simply put: don’t risk it, there’s far more than just your own life at stake.
But if you ever find yourself on the wrong side of a critical error in judgment and about to be pulled over by law enforcement, there are certain steps that you can take to increase the likelihood of you avoiding the permanent stain of a DUI on your driving record.
In the process of being pulled over and questioned by the police, do not offer them probable cause. Law enforcement officers who suspect a driver has been drinking will employ a host of tactics to bend the laws that keep you from being your own worst enemy and incriminating yourself. They will ask you if you’ve had a drink, but more importantly they will ask you when you had your drink. You’ll be tempted to try and spit out the “magic” timeframe but it wouldn’t matter, because the officer likely asked you that question in anticipation for the next tactic: the Breathalyzer.
First off, understand that the Breathalyzer test is optional and at no point will you be forced by law to take one, despite what the officer says. If you answered their questions about the last time you had a drink, they will time the test so as to ensure the most incriminating result. Never agree to a Breathalyzer test. Not only is their reliability in consistent dispute across American courts, but if you agree to one and it says you were above the legal limit you may be facing the even worse charge of ` DWI. The police might haul you to the precinct if you refuse to blow, but understand that being detained for suspected DUI is far less incriminating than failing the Breathalyzer.
After being released from the police, get yourself a good DUI lawyer. More importantly make sure you get a lawyer from the area, as DUI laws vary from county to county – a Phoenix DUI Lawyer is going to do a better job handling a DUI case that happened within the city limits than a lawyer from your hometown an hour away.
Avoid a DUI by never doing it, but if you do, know your rights and get professional help as soon as possible.
This post involves: ... and focuses on:Auto Transport
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