Facing A DUI charge is among the most serious kinds of infractions that a driver can face. The main reason is that driving while intoxicated is extremely dangerous for the driver, anyone in the vehicle with them, and everyone else on the road. It is an irresponsible act that is understandably frowned upon by society and the law. However, a DUI charge does not have to ruin your life if you handle it properly. If not found guilty you can still drive a 1954 Corvette and afford the insurance.
The first step you should take is the hiring of a DUI attorney. They will know how to skilfully navigate the legal challenges of a DUI case and give you the best chance of having your sentence reduced or dismissed. If you live in the Miami area and are facing a DUI charge, then you should visit strolenylaw.com/dui/bui to learn how they can help you.
Avoid Making Incriminating Statements
If a police officer stopped you for a DUI, then you were probably exhibiting the type of behaviour that led them to believe that you might be intoxicated. You should not make their job— and the job of the prosecutor— any easier by admitting as such. An admission of guilt is a powerful statement that can make your case far more difficult to resolve in your favor. Even if there is evidence against you, an incriminating statement can hurt you just as much. So avoid saying how much alcohol or narcotic substances you consumed or admit that you are intoxicated, otherwise your case could become a whole lot more difficult.
Refuse To Do The Tests
One of the standard procedures during a DUI stop is that the suspected driver takes a series of tests to determine whether they are intoxicated. Those tests include the breathalyzer test that measures the driver’s BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) and the field sobriety tests that check the driver’s coordination. However, you can choose to refuse both of these tests as they are entirely voluntary even though the officer may imply that they are mandatory.
The worst case scenario of refusing the field sobriety tests is that you could get arrested if the officer believes that they have enough evidence to prove your guilt. This is bad but it is better than a DUI charge, and refusing the tests means that the officer won’t have any real evidence against you, which could help your case. The refusal of a breathalyzer test is a riskier affair because of implied consent laws that require you to submit to a breathalyzer test as a condition of obtaining your driver’s licence. That means refusing the breath test could lead to revocation of your driver’s licence and an increase in your insurance.
Your best bet when asked to submit to the tests is to take the breathalyzer test but refuse the field sobriety tests. Even if the breath test comes back positive, your attorney can argue that it was faulty or incorrect.
Be On Your Best Behaviour
This goes for the DUI stop itself and everything leading up to the court date. Be respectful to the officer during the DUI stop and it goes without saying that you should not drive under the influence again, especially before your court date. If your licence has been suspended as a result of the DUI charge, then do not drive as that could have serious consequences like jail time and fines.
Do not discuss your case on social media as that could lead to the court believing that you are not taking the case seriously. And make sure that you show up to court well-groomed and on time. It is important that you take your DUI case seriously and it is good if the court can see that you are taking it seriously.
Hire an Experienced DUI Lawyer
This is the best thing that you can do because an attorney can help you to fight the DUI charge in ways that you may not have thought of, or even know about. A DUI charge is one of the more serious charges a driver can face and the courts are always ready to make an example of a driver facing that charge to show that they take DUIs seriously.
That is why you need someone with experience defending against those charges on your side. A lawyer will provide the defense you need and will do their best to make sure that the charge does not result in consequences that could leave a permanent stain on your driving record.
