Drive While Intoxicated

It is an all too common scenario. You and co-workers stop after work for a get together and have a couple drinks, and even though you do not feel impaired when leaving you find yourself being pulled over and charged with DWI ( Driving While Intoxicated). State laws have, with pressure from groups such as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers), tightened up on the law for DWI offenders with an additional boost to the revenue.

Drunk drivers are involved in more fatal accidents, so states don’t make much difference in treatment of those that have a couple drinks after work and those that are alcoholics that down a twelve pack every night after work. You will both have to pay an attorney the same costs and you are both subject to the same penalties, jail time and fines, especially on first offenses.

Once the BAC (blood alcohol content), was lowered to .08 it was devastating to bar owners and their business. For the average person the .08 level would be like consuming two beers in one hour or less. There can be license suspension for thirty days minimum even before the court date and the offender being found guilty. These suspensions are mandatory. Then there are the SATOP classes which will cost a couple hundred dollars and don’t forget the legal fees.

Even though alcohol is legal and you can buy it if you are old enough, you still will have to suffer tougher consequences for drinking than you would for another substance like marijuana. You will also have higher defense costs than a drug user and this is especially true if you are just a social drinker and are unlucky enough to get caught.

Such cases may fall under the DUI charge, which is driving under the influence. Most states define a DUI as being when it is obvious to the police you have consumed alcohol, but your BAC test does not exceed the 0.08% limit. The police are allowed to charge you with a DUI if they can just smell alcohol on your breath and that basically means that just one sip of a drink can result in the hassles, expenses and license suspensions that every heavy drinker gets when they are pulled over and caught drinking and driving.

Thought and risk associated with the new stricter laws makes people withdraw from any social settings such as a simple drink with dinner or stopping for a visit at a bar for a birthday. People are staying home and having a drink rather than risk being caught.

Somebody would need to take them home and not partake in any festivities, so most drinkers don’t want to pressure their friends into NOT drinking at a friend’s birthday or bachelorette party, because it doesn’t seem fair, so they don’t go. If you are a drinker, this is something you need to accept with the DWI laws that exist.

The standard in the majority of states is a mandatory license suspension, whether you were found guilty or not. If you are reading this it is a good guess your interest is because you have gotten a DWI or DUI, so for starters be prepared to spend a lot of money even if you haven’t been found guilty.