subject: MN DWI Attorney - Protect Your Legal Rights [print this page] MN DWI Attorney - Protect Your Legal Rights
Driving under the influence of anything which can impair your judgement, whether it be drugs or alchohol is illegal in all 50 states in the union. There are various tests used to determine if a driver has had too much to drink, or is under the influence of some sort of drug. Most of the time, an officer who has cause to believe that a driver is intoxicated will carry out a field sobriety test. This can consist of walking a straight line, hold your arms out and then touch your nose with your forefinger or reciting the alphabet. If you do not pass each of these tests with flying colors, you can expect to find yourself in an unenviable situation.
Blood Alcohol Content or BAC
Every driver in the USA should be aware of the fact that in all 50 states, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle if your blood alcohol content is .08% or higher. As you probably have deciphered, the .08% refers to the percentage of alcohol in your blood.How these numbers are deciphered is usually with the aid of a breathalyzer or a bloodtest. It is a common practice in most of the country for an officer to first conduct a field sobriety test and then move to the more conclusive breathalyzer If the officer requires evidence more conclusive than the breathalyzer can offer, they can also administer a blood test, or even a urine test. Of course, this is generally left to the discretion of the arresting officerThe arresting officer is usually given the choice to request that such tests be administered.
Punishment
In the past, DWI was regarded as a minor offense in Minnesota, and around the entire country. Prior to the current day, it was very common for individuals to receive a myriad of citations for driving while intoxicated before they had to face any real consequences. Thankfully, things have evolved over the years in this respect, and nowadays, even first time offenders are often harshly punished. If you choose to operate under the influence of alcohol of drugs, be prepared to lose spend some time in jail, lose your driver's license, be required to attend drunk driving courses, and even possible have your vehicle equipped with a vehicle interlock device which will require that you blow into a breathalyzer in order for your car to start.
In Conclusion
If you want to avoid even the slightest risk of a DUI, DWI or other drinking and driving related charge it is best to adopt a zero tolerance policy. Never put yourself in control of a motor vehicle if you have been drinking. While there is nothing wrong with meeting up with friends for a few drinks once in a while, you must make sure that you have a plan which involves you getting home with a driver who has not been driking. A minimal consumption of alcohol can have a dramatic effect on your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Driving under the influence puts you in a position in which you are not only a threat to yourself, but to other drivers as well. Morever, if you cause an accident and survive, you will be held responsible for the injuries or death of anyone else involved in the accident. You could be facing some serious criminal charges. The bottom line is that the risks are simply not worth it.
