DUI Lawyer Mount Pleasant, SC

Most South Carolina drivers are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving and often make other arrangements for transportation if they are going to an event where there will be “revelry,” such as having a designated driver or using a ridesharing service. But those same responsible drivers don’t always realize that even going out to dinner or to a friend’s house and having a couple of glasses of wine or beer can also result in deadly alcohol-related crashes. A DUI lawyer in Mount Pleasant, SC knows all too well how just a couple of glasses of wine can end up in an arrest and loss of license. It only takes a split-second decision to consume alcohol and cause a serious accident. If you have been charged with DUI, you do not need to panic. You can depend on a lawyer to guide you if you are facing a charge and are not sure how to fight it. They will have the skills and legal experience to defend you so that you do not have to pay for the worst consequences.

In South Carolina, just as in all states, if a person is pulled over by police and registers a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher, they will be charged with driving under the influence. Police set up checkpoints to catch drivers who are under the influence so that they don’t endanger themselves or other drivers and pedestrians around them. They may conduct a series of field sobriety tests in addition to testing BAC. While each state has its own drunk driving laws, they all involve loss of license, heavy fines, and potential jail time as penalties for conviction.

Even a first-time DUI charge can carry serious consequences. Drivers convicted of DUI can be fined $400 fine and up to 90 days in jail. The severity of the consequences depends on your BAC level. A DUI conviction can stay on your criminal record and impact you in many ways. You should not take a DUI conviction lightly. Any conviction, even misdemeanors, can prevent you from getting a job, limit where you can pursue education opportunities, and affect what kind of loans you can get approved for.  You should not assume that you will receive the minimum consequences for a DUI.

Effects of Alcohol

There have been extensive studies conducted regarding alcohol consumption and driving a vehicle. All these studies conclude that a person’s gender, weight, and the type and strength of alcohol the person has drunk. For example, many people may not realize that a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce beer, and a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor all have the same alcohol content. A Mount Pleasant DUI lawyer knows that many drivers also don’t realize that consuming just one or two of these drinks within an hour can have an impact on their driving ability.

The following is a breakdown of that impact:

• One drink: BAC result of .02 to .03, which causes a decrease in judgment
• Two drinks: BAC result of .04 to .05, which causes slower reaction times
• Three drinks: BAC result of .06 to .07, which causes both reason and judgment to be less reliable
• Four drinks: BAC result of .08 to .09, which is now over the legal limit, causing vision, speech, balance, and hearing to be noticeably impacted
• Five drinks: BAC result of .10 to .11, which causes difficulty in walking and control of body movements

Studies have also shown that even minor amounts of alcohol can increase a driver’s chance of being injured in a crash. You are not able to anticipate how alcohol will affect you. One person may exhibit drunk behavior despite consuming a small amount of alcohol, while another person might consume a larger amount of alcohol and still feel and act sober. However, consuming alcohol and driving a vehicle is dangerous no matter what the amount is. Even with one drink, a driver’s body feels the effects, even if the driver is unaware of those effects:

• Overcorrecting when a driver error is made
• Drifting or swerving in and out of the driver’s own lane
• Distracted driving, missing traffic signals or signs, or environmental cues (i.e. sun setting, and headlights should be turned on)
• Running off the road onto sidewalks
• Reckless driving behaviors

Unfortunately, many people underestimate the effects of alcohol. They think that they are still able to retain control of their vehicle despite consuming alcohol.

How a Lawyer Can Fight Your DUI Charge

If you have been charged with DUI, there is still hope if you act fast and talk to a lawyer. There are several ways that a DUI lawyer can have your charge reduced or dropped altogether. There could be several issues in the charge itself. A lawyer will review all the actions that the police officer made. They will look for any weaknesses in their report. The officer may have made a mistake in their reading of the breathalyzer result, or they may have failed to read you your rights. Such flaws can cause a charge to get dismissed.

Have You Been Charged?

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence, call Joe Good, Attorney at Law to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a seasoned Mount Pleasant DUI lawyer and find out what legal options you have for defending against these charges.