The holiday spirit of merriment often means literally enjoying spirits, as in alcoholic beverages, with family and friends. Whether you are looking forward to mulled wine with your Thanksgiving dinner or spiked eggnog for Christmas or whatever your choice and preferred holiday may be, it is important to drink responsibly and never drive while intoxicated. Not only do you endanger yourself and other drivers around you, but you are also likely to get snared by the police.
Each year in the greater Sugar Land metropolitan area, police come out in droves and full force around the holidays, especially the last two weeks of the year when holiday festivities are at their height. Just about every interstate in and out of Houston will have more patrol cars, including the I-45, I-10, and the 290. Basically, name a popular roadway and you are almost guaranteed to see a greater police presence there during the holidays.
Stay Safe & Sound This Holiday Season
As mentioned, it is actually a good thing that Texas State police are out there to catch drunk drivers. Crash statistics indicate a sharp spike in crashes and fatalities each year around the holidays. It can be assumed that many of these are caused by driver intoxication.
At the same time, an overzealous police force can pull over and arrest people who are not illegally intoxicated behind the wheel. Since many arrests are up to their discretion, this idea that everyone is going to be drunk on the holidays may influence an officer to lean towards an unfair prejudice and assumption.
To stay out of trouble, make certain you drive sober and avoid erratic driving behaviors, such as:
- Speeding or driving too slowly
- Wide or sharp turns
- Tailgating
- Swerving in one lane
You should also remember that an arrest is not a conviction. If you are pulled over and charged for driving while intoxicated, you are innocent until proven guilty, even if you take a breathalyzer test and it reports that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is above the 0.08% legal limit. There are always ways test results can be contaminated and contested, but knowing just what to do might be difficult if you are not well-versed in Texas’s DWI laws.
Rather than trying to put up a defense on your own, you can come to Stornello Law Firm, PC and retain the services of our highly-experienced, widely-acclaimed Sugar Land DWI attorneys. Contact our firm when you need help protecting your future and keeping your driving privileges.