DUI Defense Attorney Serving Drivers in Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Eagle County, Vail County, and all of Western Colorado
A DUI in Colorado, even as a first-time offender, comes with harsh penalties. In fact, a first-time DUI can lead to up to one year in jail and up to two years of probation. You will also encounter fines, probation, and public service requirements.
The administrative penalties for a DUI are equally harsh, including a driver’s license suspension. If you have subsequent DUIs on your record, you may be required to install an ignition interlock device (IID) before you can reinstate your driver’s license.
A revoked driver’s license prevents you from driving to and from work, or even running daily errands.
To avoid all these penalties, you should be aware of when it is time to call a cab or ask a friend for a ride home. Sometimes, telling if you are impaired is not easy, so consider the five signs you should avoid driving.
Count the Number of Drinks
The number of drinks you consume is a baseline for how impaired you might be. For example, two alcohol beverages can bring you up to 0.02 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Three drinks push you to 0.05 percent. Naturally, your body weight and metabolism play a role in how quickly you metabolize those drinks, but it is a good starting point.
You Cannot Stand Up or Have Poor Balance
As you walk across the room, assess your balance. Can you stand still or do you feel like the room is swaying? If you cannot stand up without leaning against something for stability, or you notice that your balance is off, you are most likely at or over the legal limit; therefore, you are not able to safely operate a motor vehicle.
You Combined Alcohol and Prescription Medications
Some medications and alcohol are not meant to go together. Anti-depressants, for example, can make you dizzy, nauseous, and drowsy with just a few sips of alcohol. If you combined your prescription medications with even one drink, consider calling a cab or having a friend take you home out of precaution.
Do a Quick Vision Test
When you arrive at the bar or establishment, pick a vision test point, such as a poster or sign on the wall. Determine how well you can see the wording of that poster or sign without any drinks.
After you have had a few drinks, retest your vision. If the words or letters are blurry or harder to make out, you are impaired. Naturally, you must stand in the same area as you did when you arrived to test, but if your vision changes in any way, you should not be operating a vehicle.
Invest in a Breathalyzer
If you are concerned about drinking and driving, you can buy a personal breathalyzer relatively cheap today. In fact, even the most expensive personal breathalyzer is a fraction of what you would pay in fines, traffic citations, insurance, and penalties for a first-time DUI.
Arrested for a DUI in Colorado? You Need an Attorney
If you were arrested for driving under the influence in Colorado, you need a criminal defense attorney. Colorado has some of the harshest DUI penalties, including first-time offense penalties. Therefore, you cannot risk defending yourself.
Instead, contact Mark S. Rubinstein, P.C. for assistance. Schedule your free case evaluation at 970-704-0888 and explore your options for defending yourself from the permanent repercussions of a DUI conviction.
