What Can You Do to Prevent Yourself from Driving While Drunk?

drunk driver

Very few people who drive drunk would make the same decision to do so when they are sober. Unfortunately, alcohol often plays a large part in providing an individual with a false sense of confidence and ability. They may believe that it’s acceptable to do so because they live close or they “aren’t that drunk,” but no matter what, if you’ve been drinking it’s always a poor decision to drive. 

Three Ways to Prevent Drinking and Driving

So if people never plan while sober to later drink and drive but make poor decisions when intoxicated, how can they prevent themselves from doing so? Here are three things that you can do to stay off of the roads while drunk.

1. Stay where you are for the night. 

Making plans ahead of time can help to prevent the tragedy often associated with drunk driving. One way to plan ahead is to speak with the person whose home you’ll be at and make plans to stay over. Alternately, if you know that you’ll be drinking at a bar right next to a hotel, you can make a reservation ahead of time or even walk in and check for vacancy.

2. Give your car keys to someone you trust

Another plan you can make is to give your car keys to someone whom you trust will only give them back to you if they know you’ll be safe to drive home. This could be a friend who won’t be drinking, the host of the party if you know them well or another friend you trust. That way, you’ll have someone else who can decide whether you should have them.

3. Agree on a designated driver…who won’t be drinking. 

A final plan for preventing yourself from driving while drunk is to plan on a designated driver. It’s important that the designated driver refrains from drinking. Therefore, it may be best to select someone who can’t be drinking (e.g. a pregnant woman) or someone who doesn’t enjoy drinking. That way, this person will be sober to get you home safely and you won’t have to get behind the wheel. 

Surovell Isaacs & Levy PLC Can Help Those in VA Who Have Been Charged with a DUI

While you should always plan ahead to prevent yourself from getting behind the wheel, sometimes individuals fail to do so, putting themselves and others on the road at great risk. 

If you or a loved one has been charged with a DUI, it can have a drastic impact on many aspects of your life. Luckily, a knowledgeable and experienced criminal defense attorney can fight to have your charges reduced or dropped altogether depending upon the circumstances. 

At Surovell Isaacs & Levy PLC, we work hard to ensure that our clients receive the best outcome. To learn more or to schedule a consultation, contact us today!

Posted in: Criminal Law, DUI