A Valentine’s DUI is Sooooo Not Romantic!!

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and we often plan ahead to provide a special gift or treat for our significant other. It could be a traditional heart-shaped box of delicious chocolate, gorgeous long-stemmed roses or a romantic dinner and night out on the town, which may include a glass or two (or three) of champagne, wine or cocktails. If you decide to have a few drinks, you will be faced with the decision of whether to drive after the Valentine’s Day libations.

In the State of Florida, it is legal to drink and drive – provided the alcohol concentration in your blood is not over the legal limit of .08. So, if you have had a drink or two over the course of a few hours, in most circumstances and for most people, the State considers it safe for you to operate a motor vehicle. However, if you have had more than two drinks or even if you have had one strong drink, the intelligent decision would be to avoid driving and call a car service such as Uber or Lyft or call a taxi.

Imagine a scenario where you have made a wrong decision, have had too much to drink and get behind the wheel of a car. You are driving home with your spouse or significant other and you see red lights in your rear view mirror. You are being pulled over! If you have had any alcohol at all and are stopped and you admit to consuming alcohol or the officer smells the alcohol on your breath, you will, in all probability, be asked to participate in several field sobriety tests. If you don’t perform well on the tests, you will certainly be arrested, and if you decline the tests, it is likely you will be arrested. This is only one scenario. A far more serious scenario would be if you caused an accident and either you or someone else was seriously injured.

Either way, you can see that you are really in a lose/lose situation. We think you would agree that nothing would be worse on Valentine’s Day than to have to spend the night in jail with your spouse or significant other in the position of trying to find a way home or contacting an attorney. Getting a DUI on Valentine’s Day is soooooo not romantic!

If you have been arrested for DUI in South Florida, contact the Misdemeanor Clinic. We are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and yes, we can even help on Valentine’s Day! Call us at (561) 425-8229 or visit our website at www.misdemeanorclinic.com.