How to Prevent the Devastating Effects of a DUI Charge

A DUI charge can result in fines, loss of license, or even jail time. While you can take certain steps to avoid drinking and driving in the first place, it is also important to know how you can minimize the long-term damage if you do make a mistake. Hiring the right DUI lawyer is a good start, and keeping the tips here in mind can also help. If you stay calm and approach the problem properly, you can avoid fines and jail sentences that would otherwise completely derail your life.

Knowing the Limit

The first thing you need to do when trying to avoid a DUI charge is to make sure that you don’t get caught driving over 80 in the first place. You can accomplish this by knowing how much it takes to put you over the legal limit of 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood. Usually, this amounts to two to three drinks, although heavy-set men might be able to go four or even five drinks before reaching that threshold. Remember that eating, drinking, and taking time to let the alcohol go through your system can all decrease the amount of alcohol in your blood. Doing all of these things can help keep you safe behind the wheel and ensure that you don’t go over 80 in the first place.

Dealing with the Police

When you get pulled over for driving over 80, you need to keep in mind that your behavior at this point may affect the overall course of your impaired driving case. You should remain cooperative with police officers but avoid volunteering potentially incriminating information about yourself. Answer the questions asked, but don’t go beyond the scope of those questions. You should also make sure that you create an account of your dealings with the police that your lawyer can review later on. This can help the lawyer determine whether any procedural errors might aid your case and to note whether your account differs from the police report.

Hiring a Lawyer

Once the initial traffic stop is taken care of and the charges have been filed, it is time to reach out to a DUI lawyer who can help you navigate through the legal process. When looking for a lawyer, you need to find somebody with experience in your area. For example, if you live in Ontario then you need to find somebody who has practiced in the courts of Ontario before. The more experience, the better, as long as that experience has a reasonable track record for success as well. When in doubt, look for reviews on the lawyer from former clients. If you can find a lot of happy clients, then you can probably trust that these lawyers know how to get things done.

Getting a DUI charge is an unfortunate matter and one that can make you feel like you are completely out of control of your life. Luckily, a good lawyer can see you through these troubles and get your life back on track as soon as possible.

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Steps to Take After Being Charged with Driving Over 80

If you get pulled over and given a breathalyzer test, you run the risk of serious consequences if the test reveals that you have more than 80 mg of alcohol per 100 mL of blood. These charges over 80 can lead to severe fines, the loss of your license, or even jail time if you don’t do something about them. You should consult with a DUI lawyer as soon as possible, but you should also make sure to follow the steps outlined below so you can provide your lawyer with the best information possible.

Choose Your DUI Lawyer Carefully

Choosing the lawyer who will represent you in court is more than just a matter of typing “DUI lawyers near me into a search engine. You should look for a lawyer who has experience in your region. While a young lawyer might provide the right energy for your defense, it helps if they are attached to an established group where experienced lawyers can help guide them on proper procedures and precedents for your case. If you are unsure of what DUI lawyer you should go with, ask for a consultation. Most experienced DUI lawyers offer free consultations regarding your case so they can show you the kind of defense you will receive if you choose them. This can help you to make an educated decision and can dispel doubts about a particular lawyer if you have any.

Prepare a Written Account

After the incident, you should write down everything you can remember about the traffic stop and any interactions you had with the police following that. If you remember specific language used by the police officer or unusual actions, make sure to note that. Include details such as whether you submitted to a breathalyzer test without complaint or whether you refused to voluntarily take the test. Every piece of information you can provide to your lawyer represents information that may be useful in court. Your lawyer can compare your report with the report made by the arresting officer and other public documents. If your lawyer finds discrepancies, they might benefit you when the trial goes to court.

Stay Out of Trouble

While you can usually expect a swift trial after being charged with driving over 80, you still have time to give your prosecutors more fodder for their court case if you aren’t careful. While you are awaiting trial, make sure to be on your best behavior. While additional traffic stops and arrests aren’t supposed to factor into your case, the judge is only human and can be swayed by a pattern of behavior. Your DUI lawyer will work hard to strike down circumstantial evidence, but poor behavior after a drinking and driving stop can still lead to a harsher sentence than you would get if you stayed on your best behavior.

A drinking and driving arrest can leave you wondering what to do next. If you follow the advice above and consult with a knowledgeable DUI lawyer in your area, you should be able to get through this situation with as little stress and embarrassment as possible.

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Don’t Let A Drug Addiction Ruin Your Life!

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Hundreds of thousands of people suffer drug addictions at any one time. There is somewhat of an epidemic at the moment in the US and many other countries around the world. The issue is that many addicts struggle to admit their problems and seek help. That means their bodies and minds deteriorate, and those people never make a recovery. If you have issues with a drug addiction at the moment, this article should point you in the right direction and ensure you start walking down the correct path. The last thing you want to do is ruin your life, and so it’s vital that you pay attention to the advice on this page.

Admit that you have an addiction

The first step towards recovery involves admitting that you have an addiction to drugs. That is difficult for some people because they feel embarrassed and worry about the reaction they’ll get from their loved ones. However, there is no point ignoring the situation any longer. If you have an addiction; it’s time to talk about the problem and start walking down the path to recovery. In most instances, the people you talk to about your habit might seem shocked or concerned. That is a positive thing because it means those individuals care about you, and they want to help you beat this illness. Try to have long conversations and discuss your intake of drugs in-depth with the people closest to you.

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Ask your family and friends for support

Once you admit to having a problem, it’s time to ask your friends and family members for support. The people in your life can help in many different ways, and so you just need to talk through various options before creating a plan. It’s always sensible to tell your loved ones never to lend you money – even when you beg for it. If people hand over cash whenever you ask, they are enabling your addiction and encouraging you to purchase drugs. You might also ask if it’s okay for you to call your friends or family whenever you start to struggle. Let them know that you might have to dial their number in the middle of the night sometimes. Having a robust support network is essential if you want to recover.

Visit your doctor and explain the situation

There are a couple of reasons why you need to visit your doctor and explain that you’re addicted to drugs. Firstly, medical professionals might want to perform some tests to check your health. That is especially the case if you inject drugs using needles. Heroin addicts who do that will often contract infections like hepatitis or HIV. So, it’s vital that you allow the doctor to test your blood. Also, you can ask about different treatment options available to you. Experts from the Summit Behavioral Health drug rehab say spending time in a dedicated facility sometimes works well. At the very least, that should limit your access to the drugs that cause you so much distress.

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Determine the cause of your addiction

Understanding the cause of your addiction is an essential step if you want to recover in the fastest time possible. Some people let things spiral out of control when they get pain medication for a genuine complaint. They struggle to get off the tablets and then end up turning to illegal drugs when the doctor won’t provide any more prescriptions. Lots of other people take drugs to deal with past trauma in their lives. Maybe you had an unhappy childhood or something similar? When you know the reason you take drugs, it becomes much easier to spot warning signs and replace the addiction with something positive.

Consider talking therapies

For whatever reason, many addicts find it difficult to talk about their issues with close friends and family. If that applies to you; be sure to ask your doctor about talking therapies. Either that or you can search online for psychologies and counselors you can contact. Sitting with a specially-trained stranger and discussing your problems can often help you to gain a new perspective on the situation. People in that profession also know about lots of mental exercises and techniques you could try to stop those cravings. In most instances, you won’t have to worry about the cost if you have medical insurance. However, there are some free clinics around the country where experts volunteer without asking for payment. You can research those online.

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Change your life

You will probably discover that your life routine is the cause of your addictions. Perhaps you work a job that you hate, or you’re in a less-than-healthy relationship? Well, you are the only person in the world who can take decisive action and turn things around. Changing your life for the better should help you to focus on positive things rather than all the harmful elements you encounter. Try moving to the countryside if you live in the city. Relocate to a different country if you need to get away. The possibilities are endless, and so you just need to identify the best steps to take based on your circumstances. You might consider:

  • Getting a new job
  • Leaving your relationship
  • Moving to a new location
  • Starting a new hobby
  • Booking an exotic holiday
  • Starting a business
  • Going back to university

If you take the advice from this article and learn from it; it’s possible that you could find yourself addiction-free within only a few months. Just bear in mind that some drugs like heroin and alcohol create a physical dependency. So, you should always speak to your doctor before going cold turkey because you could make the situation worse. There are substitute drugs like methadone that you can use to ease the cravings and ensure you don’t have a mental breakdown as the drugs leave your bloodstream. Once you’re clean from the drugs; you just have to enrich your life and keep yourself occupied. That is the best way to ensure you don’t get tempted again in the future.

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