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The holiday season, although a happy time of year in which many celebrate with family and friends, has come and gone. Many college students take the time to unwind and celebrate after working hard all semester. Unfortunately, many are now dealing with the repercussions of law enforcement’s heavy patrols and may have been accused of driving under the influence.
Statistics show that December is the month in which the number of alcohol-related arrests are higher than any other month of the year. It is caused in large part to the good intentions of law enforcement being taken to extremes. Police agencies have grown reliant on revenues from DUI arrests and as a result have taken resources away from other divisions and focused on the enforcement. Since the number of people actually impaired and driving hasn’t gone up, the only way to justify this presence is to increase arrests. That is why we see such a large number of very low BAC arrests and drug arrests this time of year.
The law says a driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 is presumed to be impaired. It is unlikely that a driver will know his or her own exact blood alcohol content and alcohol concentration isn’t a fixed number even if they could find the information out accurately. Alcohol is absorbed and eliminated in the body through a complicated process with many variables. This causes many drivers problems. The best course of action is not to drive if one has had any amount of alcohol. Alternatively, individuals should know their accumulation rate and track what their maximum BAC could be based on the amount of drinks consumed and assume the worst case scenario.
The worst result of driving under the influence is obviously an accident that results in a fatality, but the legal consequences of being arrested for driving under the influence, particularly for Arizona State University Students facing a DUI, can affect a person for the rest of his or her life. A conviction for driving under the influence comes with mandatory jail time, steep fines, suspension of driving privileges, increases in automobile insurance premiums, and imposition of an ignition interlock on the car.
For a person under the age of 21, such a conviction can lead to a significant suspension of driving privileges. It’s hard to imagine trying to get a job after graduation without the ability to drive to an interview, or having to answer “yes” to the question on a job application about a DUI conviction.
Dealing with an arrest for driving under the influence is not something that you should handle alone. While seeking the advice of family and friends may be comforting, seeking the help of an attorney that focuses in such cases is the most important thing to do.
If you are a college student, there is simply too much at stake to try and tackle this issue alone. Years of hard work can become meaningless if you receive a DUI conviction for driving under the influence.