<\/p>\n
This may come as a surprise to you if you\u2019ve been frozen in a block of ice for the past century, but law enforcement tends to take a negative view on driving while intoxicated. But while operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol won\u2019t get you pulled out of your car and beaten (probably), you\u2019ll still be in for a world of trouble should the police catch your intoxicated butt. Here\u2019s what you can expect if you decide to get hammered in your hummer. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
First and foremost, lets get something straight: the legal drinking age in the United States is 21. It\u2019s not 20 and 364 days. It\u2019s not 16 \u201cbut my dad said I could have a swig of his beer.\u201d Its 21. That means that if you\u2019re younger than 21 and you\u2019re found to have any detectable amount of alcohol in your system, then you are so screwed. You see, if you\u2019re between 17 and 21, you may not be old enough to drink, but you are old enough to be tried as an adult. And if you\u2019re under 17, don\u2019t think that you\u2019re off the hook. The rules may be different, but the outcome is the same: If you drink and drive, you\u2019re going to pay for it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re older than 21, then congratulations! You are allowed to have a very small amount of alcohol in your system. To be specific, if a policeman pulls you over and finds that you have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of less than .08, then no DUI for you. Of course, if you were driving badly enough to get pulled over in the first place, then the officer will probably still cite you for reckless driving. I mean, come on. This isn\u2019t a game; if you\u2019re dangerous behind the wheel, it\u2019s the cop\u2019s job to keep you away from it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If, on the other hand, you have more than the legal limit (and it doesn\u2019t take much to reach that limit), clear your calendar for a while. They\u2019ll cuff you, put you into the back of the cruiser, and drop you off in a holding cell. See, the beautiful part is that it doesn\u2019t matter how lucid or sober you might appear, because under the per se laws, having more than the legal BAC is all it takes to be charged with DUI. And if you think that you can schmooze the judge into letting you off the hook, you are so wrong. You may be innocent until proven guilty, but the thing is, you were proven guilty the moment you failed your BAC test. That evidence is all that the judge needs.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So you get to appear in court (and pay all of the court expenses, we might add) even though there\u2019s no way that you can get out of being convicted. After that, you\u2019ll be slapped with a fine, lose your license, and possibly get to spend some time in prison (unless this is your second DUI, in which case the whole prison thing becomes a lot more certain). You\u2019ll also get to pay higher insurance bills, because insurance providers will see you as a risky investment. But then, you\u2019ll only have to worry about that if you can get your license back, and that isn\u2019t easy either.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To have your license reissued, you\u2019ll need to meet with a counselor who will determine whether or not you have an alcohol problem. If it is decided that you do, then they will make some recommendations such as having you attend Alcoholics Anonymous or even rehab. But don\u2019t worry, any suggestions that the counselor makes are strictly voluntary. Of course, you\u2019ll never get your license back if you don\u2019t follow the recommendations, but the choice is still yours.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n\nYou\u2019ll also have to attend DUI school and possibly take a <a href=\u201chttp:\/\/www.defensivedriving.com<\/a>\u201d>defensive driving course<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
<\/p>\n
If it looks like you\u2019ve got a serious problem, then the judge can even go so far as to order the installation of a special ignition interlock system in your car. These ingenious devices essentially require you to pass a breath-test before you can start your engine. Of course, they also mean that you need to put you mouth around part of your car every time you want to go somewhere, but whatever. Oh, and the judge might also put you on probation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Naturally, individual states will have different specific laws. But whether you chose to endanger lives in Alabama or Wyoming, New York or California, the consequences of your actions are going to be expensive, time consuming, and justifiably harsh. So do everybody\u2014including yourself\u2014a favor and be responsible. Otherwise, you might find yourself wishing that you\u2019d choked on the olive in your martini.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John Carver is a freelance writer for DefensiveDriving.com. He spends his free time working on his cars and coming up with new ways to pester his wife.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This may come as a surprise to you if you\u2019ve been frozen in a block of ice for the past century, but law enforcement tends to take a negative view on driving while intoxicated. But while operating a motor … Continue reading