Just imagine the following: it is 11:45 PM, Labor Day night. You are leaving a close friend’s Labor Day party. It was a great party and, like most parties, you enjoyed a few drinks while attending.
A few minutes before reaching your home in Barrington Hills, a police car pulls you over. You saw several police cars on the way home, although this is the only police car to pull you over.
The officer walks over to you and asks if you have been drinking. What follows is a brief but unpleasant conversation that ends with you being charged with a DUI after taking a sobriety test.
By going over how to avoid a Labor Day DUI and speaking with a Chicago DUI defense attorney, you may have an easier time obtaining the best possible legal outcome.
How Can You Avoid A Labor Day DUI?
You can avoid a Labor Day DUI by doing one of the following:
- Asking someone to be the designated driver and having them drive you home.
- Hiring a taxi service to take you back home.
- Taking an Uber or Lyft to get back home.
- Leaving your vehicle at home and taking a rideshare to and from the place you will be drinking.
- Staying at a nearby hotel or motel, instead of driving home.
- Walking home, if the distance permits.
- Using public transportation, such as the bus or metro, to get back home.
- Staying at a friend’s house – this is especially useful if you were at a party hosted by this friend.
Every single one of the above can help you avoid a Labor Day DUI.
Why Should You Avoid A Labor Day DUI?
You should avoid a Labor Day DUI because, if you get a DUI in Illinois, you may spend up to one year in jail. On top of that, your license will be suspended for at least one year. You may also owe a fine of up to $2,500.
If your license is suspended for one year, you will not be able to drive. This can make it very difficult to get to and from work, to do the things you normally do, and to support yourself.
In the event that your job requires driving, you may lose it. Supporting yourself financially could be very difficult, especially since you may have to deal with the costs associated with a DUI.
On top of that, driving while under the influence is a crime. A crime that will be on your record. Finding a new job may be very difficult if you have a DUI on your criminal record.
You may not be able to obtain certain kinds of licenses and certain kinds of housing if you have a DUI on your criminal record. Certain benefits may be unavailable to you as well, with a criminal record.
Beyond those consequences, being arrested for a DUI is traumatic. You may spend a period of time in jail. Jail is a deeply unpleasant place to be, and being in jail is often very emotionally painful.
Avoiding a Labor Day DUI can help you avoid the long-term consequences that come with a criminal record, the inability to drive, and the pain of being arrested/spending time in jail.
How Can You Help Yourself After Being Charged With A DUI?
You can help yourself after being charged with a DUI by speaking with a DUI defense attorney. When you speak with this attorney, tell them exactly what happened, the charges you are facing, and what your situation is like.
A good attorney will use this information to craft a defense that helps you obtain the best possible legal outcome. You do not have to do this alone and, in fact, it is better if you work with someone who can help.
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.