It's often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this is also true when it comes to defending yourself against a charge of driving under the influence (DUI). Virginia drunk driving charges can seriously damage your finances and your reputation. Making matters worse is the fact you don't even have to be drunk to get in trouble for DUI.
In an instant, your whole future can change for the worse. One minute you are out enjoying your life-celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, a special occasion or just an evening out with friends-and the next thing you know, you are in jail, your car has been towed and you are suddenly a criminal defendant! Just as shocking as it was to see that jail door slam shut with you inside, Virginia drunk driving charges will immediately close doors of opportunity.
For this reason, a big part of any Virginia DUI defense is making sure you don't get pulled over. There are several steps you can take to ensure that you don't attract any unwanted attention from the police.
Virginia DUI Defense and Knowing Your Vehicle
You might be driving someone else's car, or a vehicle that you have only recently purchased, but if make a few awkward moves behind the wheel, you might find yourself getting pulled over. Unfortunately, you're more likely to make mistakes or drive poorly in an unfamiliar vehicle. Even if you're driving your own car, it's a good idea to double check to see if everything is in working order before you turn the key to start.
Before driving any vehicle you should take the following steps:
- Familiarize yourself with the controls (headlights, emergency brakes, turning signals, etc)
- Ensure the rear view mirror and side mirrors are angled correctly for your height
- Check to see if the car uses automatic or stick shift
- Make sure everything works as it should
While these may seem like steps that only a novice driver would need to consider, you might surprised at how these little details can add up. Nothing gets the attention of the police quite like an awkward driver. Familiarizing yourself with your vehicle is a simple, but very important, step in avoiding Virginia drunk driving charges.
Avoid Virginia Drunk Driving Charges by Knowing the Area
It's easy to make simple driving mistakes when you're lost. You can be stopped for driving under the influence even if you were actually just lost and driving without confidence in your surroundings. An on-edge police officer can easily misinterpret your navigational errors as a sign of drunkenness and pull you over.
Another example of preventive Virginia DUI defense is finding out where the police are operating sobriety checkpoints. Avoiding these checkpoints will make it much less likely that the police will pull you over for erratic driving.
Continue to next page >>
