Don’t Get a DUI This Memorial Day
Don’t Get a DUI This Memorial Day
Jacksonville is the third-worst city in Florida when comes to getting involved in a deadly DUI crash. While Florida has seen a 6% decrease in DUI fatalities across the state, DUIs and DUI fatalities often increase in the summer months, especially around holidays and long weekends.
As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, police and highway patrol officers will be on the lookout for anyone they believe is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. After all, Memorial Day starts the “100 Deadliest Days” for teens. This period of time between Memorial Day and Labor Day contains nine of the ten deadliest days for youth drivers on U.S. highways. This is in large part due to drunk driving.
Memorial Day also marks the start of summer vacation for many families and individuals across the state. Backyard barbecues, office parties, graduation parties, and boating excursions all increase in number around the Memorial Day weekend. These celebrations often center around alcohol and if you drive after drinking one too many, you could find yourself arrested and charged with DUI.
DUI Checkpoints
Around holidays, such as Memorial Day, police officers often set up DUI checkpoints to make the roads a bit safer. These checkpoints can be intense and they’re used to identify any driver that may be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, innocent and sober drivers can often get caught up in DUI checkpoints.
Simply smelling alcohol on a driver’s breath may be enough to have a driver arrested for DUI. When this occurs, it is important to know your legal rights. You are not required by law to submit to a field sobriety test. When it comes to the breathalyzer test, you have the option to refuse. Persons who agree to submit to a breath test have the right to an independent blood test upon request. Blood tests are far more accurate than breath tests.
Avoid a DUI – Plan Ahead
The number one way drivers in Florida can avoid getting a DUI or getting into a serious DUI accident is to plan ahead. Before going out with friends and family, decide ahead of time if you are going to be drinking alcohol or remaining sober. If you are going to be drinking, it is important to plan ahead for a sober driver to take you home, such as a family member or friend. To be extra safe, consider downloading a rideshare app on your phone, such as Uber or Lyft. For the estimated $20 or $30 Uber cost you can avoid devastating injuries, DUI charges, and/or criminal conviction.
Have You Been Charged with a DUI in Jacksonville?
At Lockett Law, our Jacksonville DUI defense attorneys know that holidays are an especially dangerous time for drivers on the road. As such, DUI checkpoints throughout Florida often go into effect and can ensnare even innocent and sober drivers.
If you’ve been arrested and charged with DUI, it is important to know that these charges can be fought. Even if you failed a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer, there are ways we can have DUI charges reduced or dropped altogether. Call us today at (904) 441-5107 or fill out our confidential contact form. We are ready to fight hard for you!
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