There are many run-ins with the law that can prove unsettling to individuals.
One such matter that is certain reason for angst is looking in the rearview mirror, only to see flashing lights right behind you.
If you are lucky, the vehicle belonging to those lights is chasing someone else or on its way to an emergency call. When you are not so lucky, it means you are about to be pulled over for one or more infractions.
Now, make matters much worse by being drunk behind the wheel. In simple terms, your life is about to change, a change that certainly can’t be classified as being for the better.
When all is said and done, just one DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) can have major implications for your life, implications that certainly are not good.
Who Will Represent You?
In order to lessen the chances of being convicted of a DWI once you have been stopped and charged, it is best to follow through on these measures:
- Get In touch with a criminal defense lawyer – First and foremost, you need an impeccable DWI lawyer on your side. Without one, you could be setting yourself up for myriad of problems. For one, you could end up going to jail if convicted (depending on the severity of the charge or charges). Secondly, you could be looking at a significant fine if you are convicted (including legal costs). Another negative is the potential for one DWI conviction to cause havoc with your career aspirations. Not many employers will look kindly on a DWI conviction, especially if your job involves doing delivery work or meeting outside the office regularly with clients. Your lawyer must do his or her best to have the charge or charges against you dropped. In the event they are unable to accomplish that feat, the next best solution is working out a plea deal agreement, one that will lessen the severity of the charges against you. Either way, your DWI experience should certainly be a wakeup call, telling you that it is never okay to drink and drive;
- Cooperate with everyone – Assuming you were cooperative when law enforcement pulled you over, it is also important that the cooperation continues once you meet with your criminal defense lawyer. Also continue that cooperation in any court appearances you make. The last thing you want is getting on the wrong side of a judge. While the burden of proof is with the prosecution to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that you were in fact drunk beyond the legal limit of your state, don’t assume that things will automatically go your way. Even with the best DWI lawyer around, there is no 100 percent guarantee that a charge or charges will not stick against you. This is why it is all the more important for you to work hand-in-hand with your defense team, giving them as much assistance and cooperation as possible during the proceedings;
- Change your attitude – Finally, there had to be something inside your brain telling you that it was okay to drink and then get behind the wheel. That being the case, you must learn from the experience, vowing to never put yourself in that situation again. A single DWI is bad enough, but having more than one can ultimately lead to notable time behind bars, along with the possibility of losing your driver’s license for an extended period of time or even for the remainder of your life. The financial burden you face can also be quite heavy, especially since a single DWI can inflate what you pay for auto insurance. Lastly, the legal costs can add up quickly with multiple DWI stops and court appearances, so avoid these at all costs (literally).
While it is certainly understandable that going out and having a few drinks with friends or family is the norm, it is also certainly expected that one does it in an adult manner.
A person loading up on liquor before getting behind the wheel is a recipe for disaster in so many ways.
So that you can avoid being one of those people avoiding such a scenario, think before you drink.