Play It Safe – No DUI For The Superbowl!

Jan 31, 2015 | DUI Defense

It’s that time of year again – Super Bowl time! It’s a time when people gather with family and friends to enjoy the world championship of football. You will probably enjoy lot of food (and calories), good times, and for many people, alcohol. More people will drink alcohol while watching the Super Bowl than at almost any other time of the year.Depending on your perspective, that isn’t a problem until the game is over, the party dies down, and everyone starts heading home. That’s when law enforcement officers are out in force to catch drunk drivers and potentially charge you with a DUI. If you get caught in that situation you will need a DUI defense attorney in Colorado Springs who knows how to help you.

As a DUI lawyer, people always ask what advice I would give for people charged with a DUI in Colorado Springs. The first piece of advice I would give is DO NOT DRIVE AFTER DRINKING. Many people like to enjoy a beer while watching the big game. The problem that many people face is that they lose track of how many they have over the course of the game.  Often my clients swear to me that they only consumed three drinks over the course of an evening, only to later learn that they had a lot more than they realized. During the excitement it’s easy to lose track. Be careful. A DUI costs a lot of money and carries heavy penalties.

If you have had too much to drink, it’s easy to justify in your mind that it is only a few blocks to your house so you can get home safe. The problem is that often that isn’t the case. Alcohol can slow your reaction time and can cause you to make mistakes while driving without realizing it. Several years ago during the Super Bowl, I had a church meeting. On the way home, shortly after the game ended, I was pulled over the police because I had a tail light out on my car. Two police officers approached from the each side of the vehicle. They asked where I was coming from and where I was going. After learning that I was coming from church and not smelling any alcohol, they quickly ended the conversation and sent me on my way. They were looking for drunk drivers and were not interested in anyone who hadn’t been drinking. The police are assuming that if they pull over a person on the road after the Super Bowl, there is a good chance that person is intoxicated.  Don’t take that risk.

My advice is to find someone who hasn’t been drinking to drive home. Almost every DUI defense lawyer will tell you that you are probably safe to drive as long as you have had only two drinks over an hour period. However, it gets complicated when trying to determine how much is too much to drive. It’s better to play it safe rather than sorry. If the police smell alcohol or you admit to drinking it is likely that they will require you to exit your vehicle and do road side tests to determine your sobriety. That is something that no one wants to do.

If you are going to watch the Super Bowl then make sure that you are safe. If you are charged with a DUI in Colorado Springs at this time of year or any other time, please contact James Newby for a DUI defense attorney who will assist you through this difficult time.