Drinking and driving can have serious repercussions on your life. Depending on the level of intoxication and the degree of damage caused while driving, you might even have to face a prison term.
People who instigate road accidents and cause injuries to other people have to face severe penalties. So, in case you are ever involved in drinking and driving and have been caught by the law enforcers, the only person who can come to your rescue is a DUI lawyer because drinking and driving is a criminal offense.
The biggest benefit of hiring a DUI lawyer is that the penalties that you might have to face for drunken driving might reduce. According to US laws, driving with 0.08% alcohol content in the blood is permissible and any amount over this is a crime. Penalties include fines, community service, imprisonment in serious cases and seizing license.
In addition, there is a mark against you in your driving history, which can make it difficult to find good car insurance policies. Second time offenders have to face more serious consequences. The future employment prospects of a drunk driver can also be in jeopardy since background checks are run on all applicants by most of the employers.
DUI lawyers can have your penalty trimmed down and can prevent registration of a permanent offense against you. They understand the laws pertaining to drunken driving inside out and so, can help you escape with a minor sentence.
In some cases, a good DUI lawyer can even help you go free without any charges being registered against you. In these cases, a lot depends on a lawyer’s negotiation powers with the other party involved in case of accident or with the law enforcers.
Being well versed with the laws, lawyers can negotiate well and have penalties reduced. They might also bring about an out of court settlement and avoid a lawsuit altogether.
However, always keep in mind not to plead guilty until a DUI lawyer arrives at the site of accident. If you confess, getting you off the sentence can be a tough job for any lawyer. By hiring a good lawyer, you can be assured of obtaining reliable legal services. You save a lot of time and energy and more importantly, you can enjoy peace of mind.