Once again, the holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, with Christmas and New Years soon following. The holidays are a time to reflect, rejoice and celebrate. Often times, holiday celebration comes in the form of a few drinks with friends and family. Whether you’re enjoying a beer with the Thanksgiving football game, a cup of eggnog by the fireplace or a glass of wine with Christmas dinner, there are a few matters to keep in mind.
First and foremost, driving under the influence and driving while intoxicated are very serious crimes that can have a indelible effect on your life. Simply having a few drinks could lead to death, destruction, embarrassment and loss of privileges. It is important to have a plan when it relates to alcohol consumption, especially around the holidays. Here are three suggestions for avoiding a DUI this holiday season.
1. Always have a designated driver.
This piece of advice has been recited ad nauseum, and for good reason. Having a designated driver is the cheapest, most convenient way of ensuring safe transportation to and from a party. If you have a friend or family member who doesn’t drink, you can simply ask them if they could take you home. Make sure to make the trip worth their while. If you have a group of close friends or family who are all known for enjoying a holiday libation here and there, you can take turns staying sober and being the designated driver.
2. Make sure to have the phone numbers of several taxi services.
As easy as getting a designated driver might sound, there are always those special events where sobriety is more difficult than usual. Some gathering that come to mind are office Christmas parties and New Years parties. It is understandable that not a lot of people want to be the only sober person at one of these get togethers. In these cases, calling a cab is your best option. Sure, it isn’t as cheap and convenient as a designated driver, but a phone call and cab fare is well worth you getting home safely.
Plan to enlist the services of a local taxi before you even leave your house, apartment or hotel. By doing this, you can get the phone numbers of several cab services just in case. I also suggest calling each taxi service beforehand and checking to see their time of operation. A taxi that runs until midnight isn’t going to do you any good at 2:00 am.
3. Get the services of a qualified, proven lawyer.
Even though there are many ways to get around a DUI and DWI, they can still happen very easily with one slip in judgment. The first two points deal with how to avoid drinking and driving, and this last piece of advice is for avoiding the legal ramifications of a DUI.
If you do find yourself in a position of being pulled over and arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence, you have options. One of these options is finding legal counsel for the matter. It is very important to enlist the services of an experienced, recommended lawyer. I’ve dealt with many a local Seattle DUI lawyer and Seattle DUI attorney to know that a good legal representation can be the difference between months of freedom and hundreds of dollars in fines.
