You are enjoying a lovely Christmas Day party with those closest to you. And, as the clock strikes 11:30 PM, you head into your car to drive back home.
Right before you reach your home in Schaumburg, you pass a parked police car. The police car turns on its siren and forces you to pull over.
You speak with an officer who asks you to take a blood alcohol test. The blood alcohol test comes up with .08. In a matter of minutes, you have been charged with a DUI.
Going over the best ways to avoid getting a DUI on Christmas and speaking with a Chicago DUI attorney will help you obtain the legal outcome you deserve.
What Happens If You Get A DUI?
A DUI comes with several penalties. And among all these penalties, one of the most notable is: your license will be suspended for at least one year.
Just as an example, if you are convicted of a DUI in Illinois at the end of the year, you won’t be able to drive again until at least the next year.
You may lose your job if you are unable to drive. Or, you may be unable to get to your job, the grocery store, and/or your kids’ school if you cannot drive them.
On top of that, a DUI can lead to a jail sentence of up to one year. You may also need to pay a $2,500 fine. Both of these consequences can be devastating, especially when paired with the license suspension.
If you have been convicted of a DUI in the past, the penalties become much more severe. You may lose your license for at least five years, for example, if you have been convicted of one DUI in the past.
How Can You Avoid Getting A DUI?
You can avoid getting a DUI by doing any one of the following:
- Use an Uber or Lyft vehicle to get home.
- Rely on public transportation to get home.
- Hire a taxi service to get home.
- Walk back home.
- Stay at a nearby hotel/motel.
- Stay at a nearby friend’s home.
- Select a designated driver who will take you home.
Every single one of the above will help you avoid a DUI.
What Should You Do If You Have Been Charged With A DUI?
If you have been charged with a DUI, there is only one thing you must do: work with an experienced DUI attorney who knows how to help you.
Your attorney will go over every single fact of your case. Doing so will help them figure out what they can do to help you obtain the verdict you need. Or, to have the case thrown out entirely. Among other possibilities.
For example, if you were pulled over by a police officer, the officer may not have had probable cause to stop you. This means the entire case is invalid and will be thrown out.
No matter the facts of your DUI case, we will help you retain your innocence, as well as all of your legal rights.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
When facing a DUI charge, the quality of your legal representation can shape the course of your life. At Glasgow & Olsson, we don’t just practice DUI defense—we help define it.
Thomas Glasgow is widely recognized as a leading authority on DUI law in Illinois. He lectures statewide for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, contributes to the definitive DUI legal manual used by attorneys across the state, and is a trusted legal voice on major networks including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox News.
When your freedom, reputation, and future are on the line, experience, judgment, and respect matter most.
Speak with our Chicago DUI defense team today and learn how decades of trusted experience can protect what matters most to you.