It’s a regrettable but undeniable truth: DUI attorneys in Sarasota, like most cities across the U.S., have a steady stream of clientele. Though some players in the ongoing battle to get drunks off the road insist the vast majority of DUI offenders are alcoholics, the reality is that very many DUI collisions, fatal or not, are caused by an intoxicated driver who’s just a casual drinker. It might be argued that most people who get behind the wheel with an elevated blood-alcohol level really do think they are capable of making it home safely.
No matter what kind of drinker you are, if you live in the state of Florida and are convicted of a DUI offense, attorneys will be quick to tell you that you will be dealing with some very hard realities. Here are five key things for Sarasota drivers to keep in mind the next time you find yourself in a situation where you think you’ll be OK to drive after that third scotch:
* Intoxication and impairment aren’t the same thing. If you’re over the age of 21, a blood-alcohol content of (BAC) .08 percent is considered legally intoxicated. You can easily find a chart online that will help you determine how many drinks you can consume (there are now even apps that will do the same). But as police, attorneys, and DUI victims know all too well, just because your BAC is under the legal limit doesn’t mean your driving skills aren’t impaired. You could kill someone after a couple of drinks just as easily as you can after a five-hour bender.
* A single poor decision can result in a long list of painful consequences. Convicted first-time DUI offenders will face significant aftereffects. First, there’s the fine: anywhere from $500 to $2,000 depending on the BAC. There’s the license suspension – a minimum of 180 days, a year if you refuse a sobriety test. (Try explaining that to your boss.) You may be required to have an interlock device installed on your car to ensure you don’t climb back behind the wheel after a few drinks. You may have to shell out steep fees to DUI attorneys in Sarasota. And so on.
* You aren’t the only statistic you need to worry about. One of the more desirable side effects of drinking is the inflated sense of self-worth that accompanies a good buzz. It’s quite possibly what leads many intoxicated drivers to a firm belief that “they’re fine to drive.” Statistics often float right over our heads, but concrete stories of the devastation caused by a drunk-driving accident are frequently far more potent. Whole families killed. Children left fatherless or motherless; parents bereft of a beautiful teenager. There are plenty of stories like this from Sarasota to Seattle – you don’t want become a contributing factor in one more.
DUI attorneys in Sarasota and every city in the U.S. know they’re not ever going to run out of clients. But drinkers would do well to keep in mind that they’re better off not being one of them.
DUI Attorneys Sarasota Are you facing DUI charges in Sarasota? To minimize the consequences, seek the services of qualified DUI attorneys in Sarasota. Don’t delay: Contact the Law Offices of Wyndel G. Darvill today for a free consultation.
