You are being accused of driving while intoxicated is a terrible prospect for several reasons. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a hazardous and reckless activity.
If you decide to go behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, there is a significant risk that it will affect you and everyone else on the road. To simplify the process, if you are ever pulled over for driving under the influence, there are a few things that you should familiarize yourself with in advance.
Here are seven things you need to be aware of if you are pulled over for driving under the influence.
1. Cooperation
If you are ever pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving, you should first provide the officer with your complete cooperation at all times. Even if you feel that you can’t comply with the officer’s directions due to the amount of alcohol in your system, you should make an effort to do so.
It would be best if you never got into a fight with a member of the law enforcement community, regardless of the circumstances. You must be aware of the potential consequences of declining to grant permission in a legal proceeding.
2. Your car will be towed and impounded
In the event that you are detained for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and taken to the station in a patrol car, you will be charged with that offense. It is quite possible that your vehicle will be towed, and the towing charge will be your responsibility to pay.
You will be provided with information on the towing firm as well as instructions on how to get in touch with them to get your vehicle released from impoundment. Get in touch with the towing business that is in charge of storing your vehicle as soon as possible in order to have it released and to pay the fees that are associated with having it stored.
3. You will be interviewed and forensics taken
It may be many hours after you arrive at the police station before you are attended to and taken care of. The process will take longer if this is your first time breaking the law. As part of the application procedure, a law enforcement officer will take a picture of you and collect your fingerprints.
A police officer or an investigator may interview you about the sequence of events that led up to your DUI arrest. You will be allowed to consult with a legal representative free of charge if you feel you have been wrongfully accused. Check out, https://www.edmontonduilawyer.ca/
4. Be ready to spend a few hours at the station
The amount of time that you are required to wait at the police station after being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol will vary depending on several factors, including the location of the arrest, the offender’s age, and criminal history, as well as the degree to which the offender was intoxicated.
Suppose you are determined to be eligible for bail release. In that case, you will be given instructions on how to get in touch with a bondsman, a friend, or a family member to make arrangements for the payment of the money and your transportation back home from the police station.
You might be sent to jail immediately if you are found guilty of certain offenses. Nevertheless, it would be best if you prepared to spend at least a few hours in the station while the specifics of your DUI charge are sorted out while you are being investigated.
5. You may be presented before the court
In the majority of cases, driving under the influence of alcohol is settled in court, where the offender is required to appear in front of a judge and have a conversation with the judge. You have the option of appointing your own counsel to represent you in this case, or the court may do it for you.
Maintain your composure and act in an appropriate manner while the court case is being heard. It is improper to withhold the truth when questioned about it. If you are required to appear in court but fail to do so, the judge may issue a warrant for your arrest and order that you be taken into custody.
6. You may receive a sentence
People who have been found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol frequently receive sentences that consist of community service or court referrals as part of their punishment.
When you successfully finish one of these programs in the shortest amount of time feasible, the court will be able to get confirmation that the requirements of your sentence have been met. If you have any fines to pay, you are required to do so as quickly as possible.
7. The conviction will stay in your files for a significant amount of time
If you are found guilty of driving under the influence, the conviction will likely stay on your record for a significant amount of time, if not for the rest of your life. Any interested potential employers can have access to all of this information. If you want to start looking for a new job quickly, you need to be frank and honest about the DUI arrest you received.
It is best to explain the current scenario rather than give the idea that you are attempting to hide something, especially when the impression that you are trying to hide something might be misleading. After being charged with driving under the influence, the life of any individual may be turned completely upside down.
In conclusion
If you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your life may be irrevocably changed. If this occurs, take solace in knowing that you were apprehended before you caused or were involved in a severe accident. An arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can potentially serve as a learning experience if handled correctly.
