“Friends don’t let friends drive drunk,” a slogan of the Ad Council in the 1980s, has been used for comedy parities over and over again, but none the less holds a truth. There are a number of strategies to use when trying to stop a friend from drinking and driving. Nonetheless, we cannot always be there to stop our friends from getting behind the wheel after drinking. If you have a friend that has been charged with a DUI, urge them to speak to an experienced DUI defense lawyer at Moses & Rooth to insure their best defense against driver’s license suspension, fines, and jail time.
Ways to Prevent a Friend from Drinking and Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) give the following tips when trying to stop a friend from drinking and driving:
- Be non-confrontational;
- Get the friend a cab;
- Place them on a bus or other form of public transportation;
- Find a sober driver;
- Remember that the person is drunk and speaking slower may be useful;
- Explain that you care for them and don’t want to see them get hurt;
- Have them sleep over;
- Enlist a friend to help convince them to not drive; and
- Get the friend’s keys.
MADD also suggest that if all else fails to call the cops because it is better for your friend to be arrested than to be injured, injure another, kill, or be killed because they choose to drink and drive.
Legal Consequences of a DUI
It is also important that your friend knows the legal repercussions if they choose to drink and drive. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a DUI conviction can result in fines from $500 to $5,000, 50 hours of community service or an additional fine of $10 per community service hour, probation up to one year, incarceration from six months to five years, license suspension up to one year, vehicle impoundment, and an ignition interlock can be issued. The severity of the punishment depends on a number of things, such as blood alcohol level and if previous offenses have occurred.
A friend that is convicted of a DUI causing personal injury or property damage is guilty of a first degree misdemeanor and face up to $1,000 in fines or up to one year in prison. A driver causing serious bodily injury while driving under the influence may be convicted of a third degree felony and face up to $5,000 in fines and/or five years in prison. A driver causing a death while driving under the influence may be convicted of a second degree felony and face up to $10,000 in fines and/or 15 years in prison. If the driver leaves the scene of the accident the driver may face a first degree felony and 30 years in prison.
Stopping a friend from drinking and driving is the best outcome. However, if your friend has been charged with a DUI, encourage them to seek the advice of the experienced DUI defense attorneys at Moses and Rooth in central Florida to fight on their behalf. Have your friend contact us today so we can help them put their DUI charge behind them.
Andrew Moses
Andrew has been practicing criminal law his entire career. After graduating from law school he began working as an Assistant State Attorney prosecuting cases in Orange and Osceola Counties. During his time as an Assistant State Attorney, Andrew handled all types of cases ranging from misdemeanors to such serious felonies as drug trafficking and armed robbery. His experience as a prosecutor helped him gain perspective of the criminal justice system and how the government established its cases.
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