The Fourth of July is meant to be a festive holiday. But when people have too much to drink – and decide to drive – it can be very dangerous. Do you know how to avoid a DUI? If you drink and drive, there can not only be serious personal and financial consequences, but you can also severely injure yourself or others — or even worse.
Did you know that the Fourth of July is one of the most dangerous days of the year? According to the federal agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 237 people killed in drunk driving accidents during the Fourth of July holiday in 2017. This accounted for 39% of all traffic deaths during the holiday.
With the numerous DUI checkpoints across the state of Florida and the rest of the United States during the holiday, law enforcement makes many arrests to prevent as many traffic deaths as possible.
Make a Plan for Your Festivities
Making a plan ahead of time for how you are going to spend the Fourth of July is important. Whether you are celebrating with friends or family, go into the day knowing how you are going to handle any alcohol consumption. Certainly, the easiest way to avoid a DUI is to just not drink.
If you do decide to drink alcohol, plan to either stay where you are until you are sober again or have a designated driver that is not drinking take you home. The time it takes for people to sober up when they are intoxicated does vary depending on a number of factors, but the average is around 6-8 hours. A third option is to hire a ridesharing company.
It would be a good idea to talk to your friends or family ahead of time to have a plan to look out for one another if someone drinks too much and decides to drive home. This way, the people who stay sober can make sure that others do not get behind the wheel when they shouldn’t.
If you are hosting a party, make sure there are plenty of options for non-alcoholic drinks. This provides a great service to others to help them be responsible when celebrating the Fourth of July.
What to Do If You Do Get a DUI on the 4th of July
Planning ahead of time is the best way to avoid a DUI. If you do end up getting behind the wheel after you have been drinking, and get arrested, call a Clearwater DUI attorney as soon as possible.
There are harsh penalties for a DUI conviction in Florida. Depending on the circumstances, including whether you get in an accident or someone is hurt – or worse – the penalties will vary. If a DUI conviction does occur, you could expect your sentence to include one or more of the following:
- Jail time
- Fines
- Suspension of your Driver’s License
- Impounded vehicle
- Community Service
- DUI School
- Ignition Interlock
Without a DUI attorney advocating on your behalf, it is common to get harsher penalties —including higher fines and more jail time. If this is your first DUI offense, you could expect:
- a fine of up to $1000,
- up to six months of jail time,
- potentially losing your license for six months, and
- possibly some of the other penalties mentioned above
If you have already had a DUI, the penalties are typically even more severe.
Contact an Expert Clearwater DUI Attorney
As an expert, experienced DUI attorney, Dean Tsourakis has helped many clients in Clearwater, Florida, after they have been arrested. He works aggressively to ensure your legal rights are upheld and fights hard to get the best outcome in every case he takes on.
Due to the real danger of the roadways during the Fourth of July and what can happen when someone drinks and drives, it is best to follow the above advice on how to avoid a DUI. But if you do not avoid it, know you deserve skilled legal representation.
The ramifications of a DUI conviction are not only temporarily difficult, but they can create long-lasting effects on your personal life and in your career.
Contact the law offices of Dean Tsourakis today. Call 727-785-2700 to schedule a free consultation.
on Jun 24, 2020