It is hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us, but as always, we are racing toward a new year. With the onset of this period of the year, there are increased opportunity for get togethers and social occasions. Whether it is a Thanksgiving family get-together, an office Christmas party, or a New Year’s celebration, there is are increased opportunities for people to drink and get behind the wheel to travel. In addition to the prevalence of formal gatherings, this is also a time of the year when many people head to sports bars. The World Series is about to get started, basketball season will be starting up shortly, and we are the midst of football season. There are plenty of people who head out to their nearest “watering hole” to watch a game. While they are they, they will have some beer. The problems start when they get behind the wheel of the car on the way home.
During this time of the year, be extra careful about having a plan to get home after you have been out having a good time. Planning ahead may be a slight inconvenience, but it is much better than the alternative. Having a route to go home without getting behind the wheel can protect everyone on the roadways, including yourself. In addition, you avoid the chance of getting pulled over, or getting stopped going through a checkpoint. Even if you only plan on drinking a small amount of alcohol, you can still find yourself over the limit. Beyond that, even if you are below the legal limit, you can still find yourself pulled over and getting arrested because the officer believes that you are “appreciably impaired.” An officer does not even have to show .08 or more for a case to go forward on DWI.
Therefore, you need to be very careful when you are going to a holiday party or are heading out to the bar. Be sure to have a plan, so you can avoid having a joyous or fun occasion turn into a bad memory because of an arrest, or even worse, an accident which could seriously injury or kill someone. If you are arrested for DWI, we would be honored if you could call us so we can review your case with you. We advocate that people avoid legal trouble when they can, but we are here for those who have been charged.
