All over Georgia, residents are making their Fourth of July plans. Gathering to celebrate our nation’s 249th birthday each July is a fun summer tradition shared with family and friends.
But as many of those celebrations will be awash in alcoholic beverages, the risk of getting arrested for drunken driving rises precipitously. Read on for tips to avoid a DUI charge this Fourth of July.
Survey is alarming
A survey done by Insurance Canopy indicates that more than half of the Americans surveyed reported that their biggest concern about the upcoming holiday was drunk driving. That part is not alarming; that adjective better applies to the nearly 70% of those who have seen a person attempt to drive drunk (and the 2/3 of that total who didn’t intervene to stop them).
Police out in droves
States apply for and receive federal funds to increase the law enforcement presence on local and state highways and roads over holiday weekends. That means that if you drink and drive, the chances of an arrest rise.
Adverse effects of a DUI conviction
A conviction for DUI can be life-changing — and not in a good way. For people in certain professions, it can bring about termination of employment. For those in the throes of divorce, it could affect their custody or visitation rights. At the least, it is an expensive lesson to learn.
What you should know
If you plan on drinking with friends or family over the upcoming holiday, plan a sober ride home before leaving. Arrange for rides via Lyft, Uber, public transit or a prearranged sober driver to help prevent the trauma of a DUI arrest.
If detained by police, assert your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and get the guidance you need to beat the charges.