DUI Misconceptions That Should Be Dispelled

In the US, out of all the charges, DUI charges are among the really common. Prevalence is really high so it should come as no surprise to see that various DUI misconceptions appeared along the years. The law offices of Thomas, Webb, and Willis present the most common ones that they met from hundreds of past clients. These are the ones nobody should believe.

Different Foods Or Drinks Diminish Alcohol Effect

There are way too many that think they can remove alcohol impairment by simply splashing water on the face or by drinking coffee. Such food and drink related tactics can help people remain awake and not fall asleep while driving, but impairment levels are not going to be influenced. Drinking effects do take time in order to wear off.

It is Possible To Measure BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) Alone

There are many that think they have the ability to estimate BAC levels and will take this into account when saying that they are impaired or not. We do have some formulas that are used in order to estimate how much alcohol you have in your body but the truth is that they all offer just estimates. It is impossible to guess how impaired you are. Police officers will never care about what you think you should drink. Precise information is needed. Remember that two people that drink the same amount of alcohol will be impaired differently, even if they have the same age, weight and many other factors.

We should also add that you should not trust the pocket breathalyzers. They do not offer highly precise information and cannot substitute blood tests.

Breath Tests Will Measure Bloodstream Alcohol

The breathalyzer is not going to measure how much alcohol you have in your blood. It just measures how much alcohol is present in your breath, which in turn will estimate alcohol concentration in your bloodstream. The blood test can produce a much more different result. This is why it is important for both law enforcement and the person that is charged with the DUI to get such a blood test done as soon as possible following the accident. Blood tests can be requested following the breathalyzer test.

First Time Offenses Do Not Cause Jail Time

There are many that will quickly plead guilty since they think this will not have serious consequences as it is the first time offense. This is not actually the case as in many states we now have a mandatory sentence set as minimum that does include jail time for absolutely all the offenders. Also, there is always the possibility to be sentenced to jail time for the first offense in specific situations. You want to be sure that you know exactly what to expect in order to make a really good decision.

All Lawyers Can Handle DUI Cases

The last misconception mentioned may very well be the most damaging one. All DUI cases will involve specialized knowledge and a need to be familiar with different processes linked with DUI suspect investigation and sample testing. DUI attorneys know exactly what information can and should be challenged. The attorneys that have a different specialization do not have this knowledge.