As a DUI attorney, we know that most people don’t think that they will ever be pulled over for drinking and driving. In fact, most people don’t plan to drive drunk. They simply meet up with some friends for a drink and end up having one too many. Whether due to stress, not eating enough food or being overly tired, it can hit you suddenly, and if you are driving home, you may see those red and blue flashing lights behind you. Regardless of how upstanding of a citizen you may be, drunk driving can happen to the best of people. Instead of being embarrassed, however, you need legal counsel. This is a serious charge and if you are convicted it will go on your criminal record, so don’t treat it like a speeding ticket. Instead, call us for help.
If you still think that this could never happen to you, here is what you need to know –
Around one-third of all driving fatalities in the U.S. are due to drinking and driving. In fact, every 51 minutes someone dies from an alcohol-related crash.
Based on self-reporting, there are 112 million incidences of driving while under the influence in the U.S. every year. That number could, understandably, be higher since it depends on people being honest about whether or not they were impaired. That is a lot of drivers and a large opportunity for an accident to take place or an arrest. As a DUI attorney, we know that you can never be sure which time will be the time that you are pulled over, so it is better to simply have a designated driver or order some food before heading home.
The biggest culprit of drunk driving is people under the age of 44. Specifically, the largest age group is between 21 and 24. This makes sense considering that this group is just learning what their tolerance level is and by being newly legal to drink, tend to drink way too much. If you are a parent with kids in this age group, it is a good idea to spend time talking to them about this issue. You may even want to offer to give them a ride on their night out. While this may not be top of your list for a fun Friday activity, it could keep them and their friends safe and out of trouble with the law. As a DUI attorney, we can help if you or one of your kids does drink and drive.
If you are pulled over, regardless of how much you have had to drink, you need legal assistance to be sure that you aren’t convicted and that if you are, the penalties are minimal at best. You cannot take for granted that you will be let off the hook because this is your first offense. Whether it is your first or third, the courts take this seriously, and you should respond accordingly by calling our office right away.