Getting accused of driving while intoxicated can have a tremendous impact on your life. Not only can it affect your freedom, as you could serve jail time and lose driving privileges, but it can also affect your personal life. Due to the stigma around DUI allegations, you could lose friendships or even your job.

Breathalyzers and other DUI tests are not always accurate. You could be well within the legal limit and still find yourself arrested.

Considering these facts, here are some tools you can use to avoid being accused of drunk driving altogether.

Know the Legal Limit

Knowing the laws around drinking and driving is an important part of keeping yourself safe.

Paying attention to how much alcohol you consume before getting behind the wheel is essential. Most states set a limit of 0.08% blood-alcohol content (BAC) to legally operate a vehicle. There are various smartphone apps you can download that will estimate your BAC, and some online stores even have miniature breathalyzers you can put on your keychain.

If you feel impaired at all, even just a little buzzed, your best bet is to avoid driving altogether. Doing so can keep you out of trouble, and it can help keep you and those around you safe.

Use a Designated Driver

The most effective way to avoid a DUI is, quite simply, not to get behind the wheel if you’ve had anything to drink.

If you’re going out for a night of fun and planning to drink, make sure you have one person with you who pledges to remain sober. This person should avoid all intoxicants throughout the evening, meaning they cannot consume even one drink. At the end of the night, the sober party will drive you back home. To keep it fair, you can switch roles every time you go out. You can be the driver on one outing, then them the next, and so on.

Utilize Public Transportation or Ridesharing

Consider taking public transit, or use a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft.

Public transportation is an eco-friendly way to get around, which is an added bonus. Often, it also uses safety measures such as cameras and other monitoring systems.

Using other available transport is generally safer than walking home as well, especially if you’ve been drinking.

Reach Out for Help

Sometimes, events just get away from you. You think you’ve been monitoring your drinking, only to realize you are in no condition to drive. If you think you may be heading for a DUI, ask for help from friends or family members instead of getting behind the wheel.

Doing so can be embarrassing, especially if you have to reach out to your parents. Also, let’s be realistic. No one wants to drop what they’re doing to go pick up a drunk friend.

However, consider the alternative. You could spend the night in jail, and you could cause a bad situation for others. Yes, the person you contact might be annoyed. We would bet, however, that they would prefer you get home safe and avoid an arrest.

Even if you take all the right steps, the police might still accuse you of drinking under the influence. The Law Offices of Kenneth A. Stover can help defend you against such allegations. If you need help, schedule time with our team by calling (775) 502-1575 or contacting us online.