Going out and getting a few drinks with friends is a great way to blow off some steam. However, there are a number of things you need to do to avoid getting in trouble during this experience. Each year, nearly 1 million adults are arrested in this country for driving under the influence.
The last thing you want to do is to put your life or the life of those around you in danger by driving while impaired. It is best just to get a cab or let a sober friend give you a ride home when you are in this inebriated state. While it may seem pointless at the time, you will definitely be a lot safer as a passenger rather than a driver.
The following are some helpful DUI tips you need to remember should you be pulled over.
1. Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy
In the event that you are pulled over for a DUI, you need to avoid being your own worst enemy. Failing to cooperate with the requests an office has made can lead to a lot of problems. The last thing you want is to tack on more charges due to being in a drunken stupor.
When pulled over, you will generally be asked a series of questions by the officer. Answering these questions honestly and directly can help you out in the long run. If the office thinks that you are willing to cooperate, they will be more apt to be more cordial in this situation. Trying to be combative in this situation will not garner you any preferential treatment.
2. Decline Field Sobriety Tests
We have all seen the field sobriety tests cops give acted out on television shows and movies. The reason for these tests is to establish without a shadow of a doubt that a person is drunk. If the police office asks you if you want to take this test, you need to tell them no.
The fact of the matter is that a police officer cannot force you to do this test. Generally, if an office sees that you are having trouble operating your vehicle and smells alcohol on your breath, you are going to jail anyway. Rather than making it easy for a case to be built against, you need to decline the sobriety test.
3. Contact an Attorney Immediately
As soon as you are allowed to make a phone call from jail, you need to contact an attorney. Trying to handle this complex case alone may get you in even more trouble. Working with a lawyer that has experience with these types of cases can help you greatly.
A lawyer will be able to do things like negotiate a bail amount and offer you legal advice. Before you call a lawyer, you need to avoid saying anything that may be damning to your case. Once the lawyer arrives, they will be able to give you some pointers on how to proceed. Generally, people who attempt to handle their own DUI cases fail miserably and suffer as a result.
4. Write Your Own Version of Events on the Police Report
The officer that arrests you will have to fill out a report detailing what happened. These reports are to help an officer during the testifying process. If you feel as if you have been wronged or that elements of this report are wrong, you need to work on filling out your own report.
Getting the concerns you have in writing immediately can help your attorney figure out what angle they need to take with the case. If there is clear evidence of neglect, then a lawyer will be able to find out about it and use it to beat your DUI case.
With the help of a seasoned attorney, you can figure out what your rights are following a DUI arrest.