Have You Been Charged With A Serious Crime?

Don’t let your DWI snowball into bigger trouble

On Behalf of | Sep 7, 2021 | DWI

If you are stopped and accused of driving under the influence, you need to be aware of your rights and how to prevent problems from this stop leading to a snowball effect in your life.

A snowball effect occurs when one event starts to build into additional events. For example, if you trip, you may scrape your knee. If you have scrape, you might limp. That limp may lead to someone asking if you’re okay. You may then make a new friend.

The same kind of cause-and-effect chain happens with DWIs. If you don’t get ahead of the effects, they could snowball into bigger trouble for you.

What are the possible consequences of a DWI?

To start with, you may be arrested and booked. Then, you may face fines or have a court appearance.

Those consequences are bad enough, but you may have additional administrative or social consequences as well. For example, you may have to drive with an ignition interlock device or may find out that your photo has gone viral online because of your arrest.

Longer term, you may have higher insurance rates or trouble getting a job. All of these consequences add up and can make your life much more difficult than it needs to be. Defending yourself early on in your case may help you prevent some, or all, of the serious consequences you now face.

What should you do to minimize the damage from a DWI?

To begin with, you should start by understanding your rights. If you are stopped, understand that you have already given implied consent to take a Breathalyzer test. Refusing could cost you your license.

Similarly, if you are placed under arrest but resist, you could face additional charges. If you are arrested, staying quiet and going with the police may help you avoid unfair accusations of being impaired or belligerent during the arrest.

It’s smartest to follow directions but to know that you have a right to reach out to an attorney before you discuss any part of the DWI arrest with the officer. Staying quiet will help prevent you from saying something that incriminates you, which will be beneficial for your case moving forward.

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