The first thing that you need to do if you’re arrested and charged with DUI is to find a good DUI attorney to work with. They can help you get a favorable outcome from the process and ensure that you don’t have to pay for this for the rest of your life. Your attorney should tell you things such as the difference between general impairment vs DUI and also share with you details of something like New York public intoxication laws.
Keep in mind that a person charged with DUI is often viewed with mistrust by employers and people in authority. This may affect your future and make things a bit harder for you, which is why you need to find a professional and experienced DUI lawyer. They may have helpful insights on how to get through the process and get your life back on track.
It’s a good idea for you to also do some research of your own. This may enable you to understand something like the meaning of buzzed driving. This way, you’ll find it easier to go through the process as you’ll also understand the different terms you’ll hear. In the end, it’s best to avoid getting caught for the same offense again in the future since it’s a serious one.
Do you find yourself in need of a good DUI lawyer? Sometimes the kind of clients who DUI lawyers work with are villianized; they’re selfish and reckless and murderers. Make no mistake, there are drunk drivers who fit into this category. But there are also a large demographic of people who hire DUI lawyers because they are generally good humans, who just misjudged their limit. Since it’s there first time on the wrong side of the law, they don’t know how to “fool the system” and get the book thrown at them.
The thing is, many factors that really improve the outcome of your DUI charges occur before you ever hire a DUI lawyer, and so they can’t advise you on it. You have the best shot at getting through your DUI stop unscathed if you know the tips we’re about to tell you.
Three Things Your DUI Attorney Wishes You Knew
- The Best Way to Avoid DUI Charges is to Not Drink and Drive
We aren’t trying to be rude with this point, we just want to make it clear, our article does not advocate drinking and driving. Innocent people are killed every day because someone got behind the wheel when they shouldn’t have been. There is always a better solution than driving when you’re unsure of your sobriety. Catch a ride with someone else. Call a taxi. Stay where you are and let the alcohol burn off. There is no reason for you to get behind the wheel that is so important that it’s worth putting other lives in danger. Not to mention, it will help you avoid costly bills from your local criminal defense firms, drivers license suspension, and time behind bars. The best way to not find yourself on the wrong side your state DUI laws is to not drink and drive to begin with.
But let’s say you mess up and now there are red and blue lights flashing behind you. Keep reading…
- Exercise Your Right to Remain Silent
Help us help you. If the cop who pulled you over suspects that you are driving under the influence, there is nothing you can say to talk your way out of it. The only thing your talking will do will help the cop collect enough reasonable suspicion to throw you in the slammer. The cop might seem like your friend (and hey, maybe they are. We aren’t hear to bash the men in blue.) but their goal in a DUI traffic stop is to collect evidence that you are driving under the influence. They might be very savvy at getting you say something that incriminates yourself; your best chance at avoiding this is to not give them any evidence.
By all means, be respectful. You’ll do yourself no favors by acting arrogant or rude towards the cop. But you can be respectful without talking. The only information you have to supply the cop is your license and registration. After that, simply tell the cop that you respectfully prefer not to answer any questions, sir. Don’t tell them where you’re coming from or where you’re going. You don’t have to. And please don’t tell the cop that you had a drink earlier, but just one. You may as well slap your own handcuffs on your wrists if you tell them this.
- Don’t Submit to Any Field Sobriety Tests
Commit this to memory: You do not have to take any sobriety tests in the field. If a cop is asking you to stand on one foot or walk a straight line or recite your alphabet backwards, you are already going to the station, this is just helping them collect some reasonable suspicion to establish the case against you. These field tests are subjective and nothing positive for you will come from taking them.
You also do not need to take a field breathalyzer test. The cop will tell you it can’t be used against you, and will help get you on your way. In reality, the breath test can’t be used in court, but it can be used as evidence to arrest you. At this point, you’re going downtown anyways. Just let them know you’ll take the required breath test at the station. You’ll fair better this way.
Do you have any questions? Please share below.