Tips To Prevent Drinking & Driving
Drinking and driving often result in damage, fatalities, legal ramifications, and serious injury. You should be focused on protecting yourself from these dangers.
What Are The Consequences Of Drinking & Driving?
When people drink and drive, they are compromising their responsiveness and cognitive ability. This is what increases the risks of accidents. If you get caught, drinking and driving infractions can come with legal, professional, personal, and financial ramifications.
Many states will suspend the driver’s license for different lengths of time, in some cases up to 12 months. More than one conviction can result in revocation of your license. Drivers with a CDL (commercial driver’s license) could be faced with an even longer suspension of their licenses.
The employer of a driver with a CDL may also be held liable for certain actions of that driver. The future employment of the driver can also be compromised or impacted.
Some of the states may even require jail time, even for first offenses, accompanied by fines and fees.
Some states also require the installation of an ignition interlock device. These instruments are designed to detect alcohol, which will prohibit you from starting your engine.
Your first drunk driving conviction can lead to restrictions or job loss.
An increase in insurance rates usually always accompanies a drunk driving conviction.
If you have sustained an injury in a car accident caused by you driving under the influence, the laws pertaining to your state may result in your insurance company denying payment for any treatments that you require for your injuries.
How Can You Detect A Drunk Driver?
Law enforcement officials state that there are various signs linked to drinking and driving. Here are some of the signs to look out for to avoid dangerous situations:
- Swerving, weaving, straddling the centerline, or drifting
- Making wide turns
- Almost striking another vehicle or object
- Driving on the opposite side of a road
- Driving at erratic speeds or very slow
- Braking erratically
- Stopping for no reason
- Responding slowly to any traffic signals
- Turning illegally or abruptly
- Driving without headlights on after dark
Tips On How To Stop Drinking & Driving
Make the best decision by planning ahead. Below are a few easy solutions to prevent drunk driving:
- Choose a designated driver who doesn’t drink, each time you decide to go out.
- If you are going out alone, rather avoid alcohol altogether. Order non-alcoholic beverages such as water or soft drinks.
- Do not give in to pressure to consume alcohol. If you do plan to drink, make sure you are responsible. Drink lots of water and eat something.
- If you have had too many drinks, call a car-sharing service or a taxi.
- Never travel with a driver that has had too many drinks.
- If you are able to do so safely and to protect others, take their keys away if they try to drive once they are drunk. They might be angry with you, but the alternatives could be far worse.
Houston’s DWI Lawyer
When you get a DWI, you will be stressed and not know what will happen next. Ask for our help to reduce some of your stress.
Jim Butler has 24 years of experience as a licensed attorney. He can help to get his clients out of jail so that they do not lose jobs that can cause them and their families both financial and mental suffering. Almost all of Jim’s cases consist of DWI cases, and he devotes all his time to them. He does not endorse drunk driving, but he also considers some of the arrests as needless, and this is why he had decided to become a DWI lawyer.
We highly advise you to contact or call Atty. Jim Butler as soon as you have been arrested for driving under the influence. Visit our blog for more related articles.