Driving under the influence (DUI) is one of the most dangerous, yet often committed driving crimes committed on the road. While the cases of driving under the influence have reduced substantially over the years, there’s still a large amount of cases that take place.
According to a statistic, alcohol is involved in almost 1/3rd of all the traffic accidents that take place in the United States. Moreover, over 10,000 people die every year in the United States due to drunk driving. The higher the amount of alcohol, or levels of blood alcohol content or BAC, the less safely or effectively they can drive on the road.
Here’s all you need to know about driving with high blood alcohol content, and what to do if and when you are ever held for a DUI charge.
How can a DUI lawyer help in such cases? Read more to find out what your rights are, how to fight a charge, and what you can legally consume before getting behind the wheel.
What is Blood Alcohol Content in a DUI?
Blood alcohol content or BAC is the amount of alcohol that is present in a person’s blood after consuming alcohol.
This level of alcohol can vary and depends on the amount of alcohol and at what time has the alcohol been consumed as well as the size of the person who’s consuming the alcohol.
Apart from this, the blood alcohol levels in a person’s body can also vary depending on additional factors including metabolism, age, weight, gender, the type of alcohol being consumed, health (physical and mental), and food intake.
Alcohol enters a person’s body and travels through it to reach different organs. This affects the way a person reacts and behaves, as a sense of euphoria enters the body.
BAC is what is used to determine how intoxicated a person is when pulled over for intoxicated driving signs. BAC is often commonly used in DUI cases to prove the violation of the law by the driver.
How a High BAC affects driving ability
Driving after drinking can turn out to be fatal. Whenever someone is drunk, they tend to drive more erratically and showcase behaviors such as tailgating, overtaking, lane changing dangerously, etc.
As alcohol levels rise in a person’s body, the negative effects of the same start to rise in their nervous system. The alcohol is directly absorbed by the walls of the intestine and stomach. Finally, it passes into the bloodstream, where it is metabolized by the liver.
The blood alcohol level in a person’s blood is determined by the amount of alcohol in a certain volume of blood. This is the blood alcohol concentration, or BAC. A BAC of 0.08 grams of alcohol in a deciliter of blood, is considered to be within safe limits for driving. Anything above that, and the driver can face issues such as slow reaction times, poor coordination, slurred speech, etc.
This can lead to a reduced ability to maintain lane discipline, and brake on time apart from also having issues with auditory and visual information processing. These all lead to dangerous and illegal driving habits.
How Can a DUI Lawyer Help in a DUI Charge?
When facing a charge for driving under the influence, it becomes important to ensure that you have a lawyer on board that fits the scenario and is aware of all the driving under the influence laws. A lawyer isn’t just essential to fight a criminal case in the court, but is also imperative to not let the entire issue reach the courts. Here’s how a DUI lawyer in Maryland can assist you:
Taking Care of the DUI Charges
If a DUI charge has been applied on you, it is best to get professional legal advice in such a scenario. A DUI lawyer can help in assisting against the charges and in answering the questions posed by the police or the local department.
Type and Intensity of the Crime
A lawyer can help you understand the type and degree of charges and if it is a felony-level charge. Depending on the degree and level of crime a lawyer can help understand the steps ahead. This can be anything from trying to protect your license to trying to avoid jailtime.
Avoiding Conviction
A lawyer can help avoid any sort of conviction, if applicable. Fighting a BAC number can be difficult to do without representation, as it is a hard number used against a driver. A lawyer can help provide proactive steps
Conclusion: Get a Lawyer For DUI Charges
Alcohol can have a huge negative impact on a person’s ability to make decisions. This makes driving after drinking alcohol a dangerous activity that can harm the driver as well as the person around them.
If you or someone you know has been held on a DUI charge, there’s no need to feel dejected and feeling like it’s the end of the world. On the contrary, a proper and honest introspection can ensure that it starts something new and afresh.
Getting a DUI lawyer onboard to assist you with the same is the first step you can take towards a more streamlined and stress-free way to get out of it legally.
Contact Saller, Lord, Ernstberger & Insley when you need assistance today.
