Driving a car is something that’s more than necessary these days, but as the holidays are approaching, you’ll often find a lot of people driving under the influence, also known as DUI.
Most of the people making this mistake are either trying to save some money by not using any other transportation service, or they believe that their driving skills are not affected by the amount of alcohol or drugs they’ve consumed. Either way, it’s always wrong to drive under any influence without any exceptions.
In this article, we are going to be talking about some of the reasons you should avoid doing this at any cost, as well as give you a few useful tips in case you are already in a tricky situation in which you’ve got in trouble because of DUI.
Make sure to stay with us until the end if you are eager to learn some more, so let’s end this introduction right here and jump straight into the content.
Reason number 1 – High Penalties
Just like we mentioned earlier, some people are driving under the influence because they don’t want to pay the cost of a taxi, but they don’t think about all the consequences that can cost them a lot more, both economically and health-wise.
If you get caught DUI, the penalty can cost you about twenty times more than what you would be paying for an Uber or a Taxi, so it’s a lose-lose situation for you. Not to mention that you can get your driver’s license taken away.
Reason number 2 – Safety Matters
According to many statistics, about seventy-five percent of all car accidents are because someone was driving under the effect of alcohol. Not only you’re putting your life at risk, but you are increasing the chances of hurting other people that are following the rules and driving completely sober.
The price that you’ll have to pay for hurting someone else is a lot higher, and compared to the twenty bucks that you’ll give for a taxi makes this decision to DUI very unwise, unsafe and completely impractical.
Reason number 3 – Reputation
Even if you are very confident in your driving skills under the effect of alcohol, and you end up getting home safely without causing any trouble, people will still get the impression that you’re not a serious person and they will have to think twice about getting in the car with you in the future.
This is a huge issue even if you’re just the “regular joe”, not to mention that it’s very bad for your career if you’re a businessman or a person that needs to have a really good reputation in public.
How can I prevent this situation from the start?
The key to avoiding making a bad decision is eliminating the chances for it from the very beginning. For example, if you’re going to a party tonight, and you know that you’re going to be drinking or consuming anything that can influence your driving skills, simply don’t go to the party in your car. Either get a friend that doesn’t drink to drive you there, or get a taxi.
There are so many benefits to doing this. You won’t feel pressured to drink less, if all you want to do is have some good time, and you won’t allow the alcohol to get you to feel confident and make the mistake of getting in your car after having way too many drinks.
Another great thing that you can do, and you shouldn’t feel even the slight of shame for doing it, is to ask a person that’s completely sober to take you home. We’re pretty sure that any reasonable person that cares about your safety will be more than glad to help you get home without getting in an accident, so feel free to ask for a helping hand.
What happens if I do make a mistake?
Despite what we are going to say, or how much advice we’re going to give, some people will just get in the car after drinking regardless. Even though they are making a huge mistake, we still care about their safety, and mostly for the safety of those that will be driving in their lane, so we have some advice for them as well. Let’s take a look.
If you do end up getting in a car while under the influence, make sure to drive as slowly as you can and think carefully before making a move. Double-check the lights, and triple check if any pedestrians are crossing the street.
It is very common to have a blurry vision while drunk, and your brain sometimes doesn’t register certain information, such as that car approaching you from your left side. When you’re driving very slowly, you’re minimizing the chances of getting into an accident, because your brain will have more time to react no matter what’s happening on the road.
Getting a lawyer
If you get caught while DUI, it is completely your fault, but just for the sake of being friendly and helpful, we can suggest getting a lawyer that can minimize the penalties. Feel free to visit jonathanrooker.com in case you want to learn more, or you’re currently dealing with a situation of this kind and you need some help asap.
Knowing the legal drinking limit
In some countries, it is legal to drink to a certain amount and still be allowed to drive, but you need to know the exact allowed limits to avoid getting a penalty.
If you are going to attempt doing something like this, you need to measure the exact percentage of alcohol that’s in your drink and compare it to the amount that is allowed to be in your bloodstream.
Make sure that you’re always slightly below the limit, although we completely advise you to drive only when you’re sober.
Please note that even if you are in the allowed range, your penalty will be a lot higher in case you got into an accident and it is your fault, simply because you’re under the influence. Something that you could’ve pulled out of without any penalties will cost a lot more if they find alcohol in your bloodstream.
Not only is drinking under the influence dangerous but getting a DUI can be life-altering. Mistakes do happen, though hopefully not at the expense of another person. Be sure to reach out for help from the experienced team at Stokes Stemle, LLC if you find yourself in need of legal support.
