With the unofficial start to summer this weekend, Memorial Day, comes summer fun — barbeques and beer, champagne toasts at weddings and merriment at graduation parties. While we hope you have fun, please remember to be safe when having a drink and it is most important to not drink and drive.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT DUI
- When your blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08% or higher, you’re considered legally impaired in the U.S. If you are stopped, you are certain to be arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) when your BAC is at or over 0.08%, you can still be charged if your BAC is at any level above 0.00%.
- According to conventional wisdom, your Blood Alcohol Content level will remain within safe limits if you consume only one standard drink per hour. As defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a standard drink is half an ounce of alcohol. That means one 12-ounce beer, one five-ounce glass of wine, and one 1.5-ounce shot of distilled spirits each count as one standard drink. HOWEVER, your blood alcohol content can be affected by many factors –for example, your age, gender, how quickly you drink, how much food you’ve eaten, your emotional state, strength of drink, body type, and hydration, among others.
- If you are caught Driving While Intoxicated, penalties range from fines and probation to attending drug and alcohol treatment up to imprisonment and suspension of your license, depending on your blood alcohol content and number of offenses. There are additional violations for DUI which apply to minors under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and operating a vehicle and for commercial and school vehicle operators, which carry stricter penalties.
If you’ve had a drink, stay where you are, have a friend or family member drive you home, call a taxi or another car service. Bottom line is —
DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!!!!