College offers many new freedoms, and may be the first time that you have been able to make your own choices without the watchful eye of your parents. However, this does not mean that you can live without consequences.
Parties and alcohol are a part of many students’ college experiences. If you are over 21, you many think that you are in the clear. However, even students of legal drinking age need to be careful if they plan on driving home after a night out with friends. Driving after a few drinks can quickly spiral into drunk driving charges, fines, loss of license, impact your career plans and result in jail time. How can you avoid DUI charges?
3 alternative options to drinking and driving
Plan out your night before you leave the house to determine how you and your friends can safely get to and from your destination. Below, are three options that can help you avoid serious DUI charges and consequences.
- Name a designated driver. Name a rotating designed driver from your friend group when you go out. This will ensure that at least one of you will be able to safely and legally drive the entire group home at the end of the evening.
- Plan on using a ride-sharing service or taxi.Uber, Lyft and other ride-sharing apps have made it very easy to quickly get to and from your destination without driving. Travel with several friends to lower the cost if this is a concern. Either way, a few dollars to pay for your transportation costs will be much less than a drinking and driving fine.
- Download a personalized breathalyzer app on your smartphone.Several smartphone apps can estimate your blood alcohol content (BAC). After drinking, you blow into a smartphone attachment that measures the relative amount of alcohol on your breath, similar to a police breathalyzer, although less accurate. The best way to avoid DUI charges is to completely abstain from alcohol; however, these can still be a valuable tool to give you a good idea of your level of intoxication. Your BAC is influenced by so many factors that it can be difficult to estimate it on your own. This takes out a piece of the guesswork.
Despite your best intentions, college students sometimes make mistakes and drive when they should not. If you are pulled over with a BAC of .08 or higher and charged with DUI, an experienced attorney can help protect your rights and pursue a more favorable case outcome.