Being arrested for DUI can lead to loss of your driver’s license, time spent in jail, high fines and costs, and the need to comply with strict probationary requirements. So it should come as no surprise that when some people are pulled over after they have been drinking, they will try anything to avoid being arrested and charged with DUI. Unfortunately, not many of the more popular DUI myths really work, and in most cases you can end up in more trouble than if you had not tried to out maneuver the arresting officer.
Five DUI defense myths that simply do not work and should be avoided are:
- Timing your drinks, so that you only have one beer or other alcoholic beverage at a set interval. While it is true that as time passes the alcohol you have consumed has a decreased impact on your system, there is no way to tell how the specific chemical make-up inside your body will react to drinking.
- Using breath spray or chewing gum to mask the smell of alcohol also does not work. In fact, some breath sprays or mouthwashes may contain a small concentration of alcohol and add to the overall level of concentration in your body.
- Driving slower than the speed limit, so you are not pulled over for speeding and then questioned about your activities. It is not only against the law to driver faster than the law allows, but also to drive too slowly. The reasoning is because when you drive too slowly, you can cause traffic to back up or to cause an accident. If your driving pattern is suspicious, regardless of how fast or slow you are going, you can be pulled over and ticketed.
- Lying to the officer about what you have been doing and how much you have had to drink. Of course it is a good idea to keep your answers short and provide no more information than what has been asked, but it is never a good idea to try and pull the wool over the officer’s eyes.
- Sucking on a penny or other copper object will not cause the breath machine to give a lower BAC reading. This is because the breath measured by the machine is not just from your mouth, and you are usually required to take a deep breath before blowing so the measurement is from a deeper breath.
Getting a DUI ticket is undoubtedly a difficult situation, but you do have defenses that can be raised, and presenting a well thought out and clear defense is always better than trying to “beat the system”. We have experience, let us help you.
If you have questions about criminal and DUI defense, call our office for answers. Call an experienced criminal defense attorney in Stuart and the Treasure Coast. Your first visit is a free initial consultation.
