The holiday season is officially in full swing with Thanksgiving over and Hannukah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve just around the corner. It’s a time for people in San Diego to get together with friends and family to celebrate the season. Events like the Mission Bay Parade of Lights and Winter Wonder at Belmont Park bring in thousands of visitors every year.
Whether your holiday plans include public parades, private parties or going to bars and restaurants, alcohol will likely be served at some point. And if you drive home later, there is a chance that you will be arrested on suspicion of DUI. As they do every holiday season, San Diego police and California Highway Patrol will be on the lookout for drunk drivers and aggressively pulling over as many drivers as they can.
Nobody wants to spend part of their holidays in jail, facing a DUI charge. On top of ruining your holidays, a conviction for even a low-level first-offense DUI offense could mean losing your driving privileges, a hefty fine, having to undergo an offender alcohol program, and even possible jail time. Nothing that most of us want.
Keep yourself out of jail for the holidays
Here are three tips for avoiding the risk of a DUI charge this holiday season:
- Don’t drink and drive. If you don’t combine drinking and driving, there will be no probable cause for SDPD to arrest you.
- Arrange a sober ride. Planning ahead can help you avoid trouble later. If you expect to drink at an event, arrange for a sober ride or take a cab or rideshare service home.
- Stick to your guns. If you drive yourself somewhere and do not plan on drinking, don’t give into pressure from others to have alcohol. A glass of sparkling water with a lime wedge looks enough like a cocktail to satisfy some nosy types.
If you do get arrested anyway, you could have several options for getting the charges reduced or dismissed. You should speak with a defense attorney, before pleading guilty or making any other moves in your case. Call The Law Office of Mark Deniz today for a free consultation 858-429-9982.
