As facts would have it, every two minuets someone is injured in a drunk driving accident. Through the years drunk driving has become more and more of a problem in the United States. This of course means that more and more people have been arrested for driving under the influence. If you or someone you know has gotten in trouble for driving under the influence and doesn’t understand what the facts surrounding the DUI law are, than perhaps it is time to look into what a DUI means and what your rights within any DUI law are.
What does driving under the influence mean?
Driving under the influence means that a person has a blood alcohol level that is beyond legal limit and that this person has impaired motor skills that make them unable to correctly operate a vehicle. When alcohol is a factor in high quantities, a person should never consider themselves able to get behind the wheel.
What happens once you are arrested for a DUI?
Once you are arrested for a DUI the very first thing that you must do is ask to speak to your attorney. A DUI attorney will either be appointed for you or you can call your personal lawyer to come down to the station and represent you. Always keep in mind that you are not supposed to answer any of an officers questions without having a DUI lawyer there to speak with you or for you. This could be a detrimental part of your case.
Be sure to remember that the Fifth Amendment is your friend in this stressful time, this means that you do have the right to remain silent and not respond to any questions from the police until your legal representatives are there to assist with your case. It is in your best interest to remember that anything that you do say while alone with an office can in fact be held against you and can hinder your case and the trouble you find yourself in will increase if you say the wrong thing to these officers at the time of arrest.
Legal representation is available to everyone, and if you are faced with charges as such it will be detrimental in the event that you are charged with a crime. Considering that a DUI conviction can cost upwards of $20,000 it is in your best interest to be sure that you a legal representative when facing these criminal charges.
If you or someone you know finds themselves charged with a crime or facing a criminal investigation for drunk driving or driving under the influence remember it is best to keep completely quiet until your duii lawyer is there to assist you with your case. While this is something that shouldn’t have happened and you should know better than to do, if you want your case to amble together in a smooth manner than keep quiet and have a lawyer available as soon as humanly possible.