Enjoying Your Holidays without Getting a DUI Charge

It is such fun when family and friends get together, go out to eat, drink and make merry! Unfortunately, this fun also leads to more DUI (Driving Under the Influence) charges and arrests. Sadly enough, alcohol related fatalities are at their highest during the holidays, when it should actually be a time of joy.

So, how do you avoid getting arrested for drinking and driving and then having to contact a DUI lawyer while you are on vacation, enjoying the holidays or simply having a night out?

1. Don’t Drink and Drive. Sounds so simple, but so many of us don’t follow this simple rule. If you are planning to drink, don’t drive. Take a taxi or another form of transport. Or, have a designated driver who will not be drinking.

This is the best way to keep everyone safe. Do you really want to be responsible for someone’s death just because you had one too many?

2. Stay Under the BAC Legal Limit. All states in the US have a legal BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) limit. This is the metric that is used to see the level of intoxication for legal and even medical purposes (simply put, it checks how drunk you are).

One way to keep your BAC from increasing is by eating while you drink. The food you ingest helps you digest the alcohol better. You can also space out the number of drinks you have per hour, and stopping drinking for some time before you have to drive will also keep your BAC levels lower.

However, keep in mind that if you are involved in an accident, it won’t matter how low your BAC is, you will still be charged with a DUI.

3. Drive Carefully. We tend to be a little less inhibited after a couple of drinks. However, if you want to avoid getting a DUI charge, make sure you follow all traffic rules. Don’t try to beat that yellow light like you normally do. The police, especially during the holidays, will be looking out for drunk drivers.

Don’t chat or text or be distracted in any way while driving.

4. Know the Law. There are states where you will get a DUI charge or even get arrested if you are sitting in the driver’s seat and the key is in the ignition. You could simply be sleeping it off, but have done so in the driver’s seat. And if it is a cold night (like it is during the holidays), and you have turned the car on so that you can turn on the heater, well, then a DUI arrest is even more possible.

So, know the laws of the state so that you can avoid getting arrested for drinking and driving.

5. Behave. If you do get pulled over, please – behave. Be courteous and cooperate with what the law enforcement officers ask you to do. If you are asked to take a blood, urine or breath test, do so. Refusal to do so can result in severe penalties.

6. Use a DUI App or a Mobile Breathalyzer. There are many apps available today that will tell you how drunk you are. You can also get yourself a portable breathalyzer that can be linked to your smartphone. You can use the breathalyzer to get your BAC levels and then the app will give you details of how much you have had and how high your levels are.

At the end of the day, these are methods to help you avoid getting arrested for driving and drinking. However, as a responsible adult, it is best if you just don’t – drink and drive, that is.