One of the quickest ways to sour your holiday spirits is to end up in handcuffs — but that’s exactly what could happen if you get stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol.
Halloween is coming fast, and it’s a major night for drunk driving fatalities — but the next few holidays could be even worse. The risk of a DUI-related fatality climbs 77% higher than normal on Thanksgiving, and alcohol tends to be free-flowing throughout the entire period from Christmas through New Year’s Day.
That means you can absolutely bet that the police will be patrolling and looking for any drivers that seem to be impaired.
3 ways you can beat a DUI charge
The absolute best way to beat a DUI charge is not to get one in the first place. With that in mind, here are some tips:
- Get your buddy system in place. If you tend to hang out with the same group of friends, start negotiating over who will be the designated driver on each holiday date now. If everybody takes a turn, nobody needs to feel deprived.
- Plan ahead with Uber or Lyft. Put the apps on your phone now, set up your payment process (so that it’s easy to manage if you’re tipsy) and leave your car at home when you’re going out.
- Borrow a bed or a couch. If you’re going to a friend’s house or visiting relatives over the holidays and plan to drink, ask ahead of time if you can sleep over. That way, you won’t even be tempted to drive home.
Most people get tangled up in a drunk driving case because they simply don’t think ahead — but there’s no reason for you to be among them. If you do make a mistake, however, exercise your right to remain silent until you can determine the best defense.
