Imagine that it is Christmas night, and you have just left a lovely Christmas party. You are about to reach your home in Arlington Heights when, all of a sudden, a police car pulls you over.
The police officer suspects that you are driving while under the influence of alcohol. And, unfortunately, his suspicions are correct: you enjoyed a few drinks that night, as did everyone else at this party.
You are charged with a DUI, and if this DUI goes through, your ability to drive may be revoked for one year. This isn’t even getting into the fine and potential jail sentence.
Going over five ways to avoid getting a DUI on Christmas and speaking with a DUI defense attorney will allow you to protect yourself and your reputation.
Watch Attorney Thomas T. Glasgow discuss how serious a DUI is on YouTube and TikTok.
01: Find A Designated Driver
If you know that you will be drinking, you should find a designated driver who won’t be drinking. Your designated driver will be sober, and their sobriety will let you come home safely.
If you plan on driving to a party and then having a designated driver take you home, you should figure out what to do with your car. This could involve having it stay there or someone else driving it back, among other possibilities.
02: Use A Ride Service
“Uber” and “Lyft” are both popular ride services that you can install on your phone. By using these services, you can have a sober driver pick you up and then take you home.
Even though these ride services are useful, if you are in a rural area, finding a car to pick you up at a late hour could be quite challenging. As such, you may want to find other means of transportation if this is the case.
03: Take Public Transportation
Public transportation can be a good way for you to get home safely. This is only true, though, if there is public transportation in your area that runs at the hours you need it.
For example, if you leave a Christmas party at three in the morning, your local bus may not be able to operate. If this is the case, then public transportation may not be useful.
04: Set Up A Taxi
Some taxi services allow “scheduled rides.” You can speak with a taxi company and set it up so that a sober driver picks you up at a particular time and then takes you back home.
Not every taxi service offers this. And, on Christmas, they may not offer it at all. If the options outlined above don’t work for you, though, then this is a good option.
05: Avoid alcohol
You can avoid alcohol entirely. By doing so, you won’t need to worry about being pulled over for a DUI. This may not be very fun, though, so there is one related alternative.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to help you if you need representation for a DUI charge.
Thomas Glasgow has lectured statewide on DUI practice and law for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education. He is recognized as an authority in this area of law, and in addition to lecturing, he also writes for the statewide DUI manual.
When you need an attorney, experience matters.
Speak with our DUI defense attorneys today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.