It happens on a daily basis throughout Colorado. Individuals decide to go out for a drink with friends, and then make the decision of getting back into their car to drive home thinking they are “okay to drive”. In our line of work we have heard this story literally thousands of times. People come into our office, tell us they had “a couple beers” and then proceed to say they didn’t feel drunk but yet managed to drive the wrong way down I-70 for 11 miles only to end up in a ditch.
This story is not a recipe for success. In turn the smarter decision is to always have a designated driver or at the very least, if you’re out drinking and find you’ve had a few drinks, take a cab home. The cost of that cab ride back to Wash Park is always going to be less expensive than the heavy costs involved in fighting a DUI case. Recently new technology has come onto the scene to help people in that precarious position of deciding whether or not it is a “good idea” to drive home after having a few drinks. Smart phones now have breathalyzer apps to assist in determining at least a solid estimate as to a person’s blood alcohol content. Using apps like these can assist people in determining that they are not in a position to drive home. If indeed you use one of these apps on your smart phone and proceed to ignore its advice and decide to drive home in the first place, be aware of your rights if you are stopped by law enforcement. You have the right to refuse the voluntary roadside sobriety maneuvers. Keep in mind that by driving in the state of Colorado you’ve already given your express consent to submit a breath or blood test if law enforcement believes you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs or both. You have the right to refuse this breath or blood test, however, the penalty with the DMV will likely result in a one-year loss of your drivers license. If you find yourself in the difficult position of fighting a DUI case, please don’t hesitate and contact one of the expert DUI attorney’s at Shazam Kianpour & Associates at 720-407-2582. We have helped thousands of people like you dealing with DUI cases throughout Colorado. We can help you too.