It’s quite easy to do. Go out with friends to relieve some stress of a hard day, have too many drinks during the swirl of activity and then hop in the car to drive home. Unfortunately, senses are dulled, judgments are clouded and mistakes are made often leading to being pulled over by police and charged with driving under the influence.
Following are some very important tips offered by Ted Morgan Georgia/Alabama attorney if you should ever be pulled over for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and charged with DUI.
Keep the Severity in Mind
The first thing to acknowledge if pulled over while under the influence is that the situation is serious. A DUI conviction is a criminal offense and will show up as such on your record. Also, receiving a DUI judgment can result in large fines, loss of driver’s license, jail time and probation. You should be prepared to face some serious penalties if charged with a DUI.
Know and Protect Your Rights
Under the U.S. Constitution, you have certain fundamental rights which you should be aware of and protect if pulled over for driving under the influence. First of all, you should not admit to drinking and driving regardless of whether it’s a fact. Once you admit to drinking and then driving a vehicle, you automatically give the police probable cause to initiate a breathalyzer test and arrest you.
Be Prepared to Deal with Penalties
If you are convicted of DUI, you should be prepared to deal with various penalties which include fines, loss of driving privileges, time in jail, etc. Upon arrest, you could have your driver’s license taken away. In the state of Georgia, you could face up to a one-year license suspension for the first offense, a three-year suspension for the second offense and a five-year suspension for the third offense. You may then be required to go through Georgia Driver Services to regain use of your driving privileges after penalties are adequately met.
Get a Columbus DUI Lawyer
If you are arrested and charged with DUI, you should contact a DUI attorney as soon as possible. Attorney Ted Morgan, a lawyer who specializes in DUI cases, can quite often get charges reduced which will also reduce the severity of penalties. They will also be able to explain all the options and processes to you in-depth so you know what to expect. Also, a good DUI lawyer such as Ted Morgan can either keep you from losing your driver’s license or help you in getting a special license approved so you can get to work and run important errands.