People get charged with driving under the influence all of the time. Some of these charges happen because drivers are under the impression that they can get away with drunk driving.
These drunk drivers often act this way when they are misinformed about DUI facts. Here are a few myths that you should avoid:
Myth: You should drink coffee before you drive
Truth: It’s often believed that coffee can help sober people up or counteract alcohol. Why would people believe this? It’s likely people believe this myth because alcohol is a depressant and coffee is a stimulant. But, coffee won’t do anything to reduce the blood alcohol content (BAC) in a person’s body.
Myth: You should always refuse a breath test
Truth: The police can ask drivers to take a breath test. A breath test is a fairly accurate chemical test that can read a person’s BAC levels. While you can refuse a breath test, doing so could lead to criminal charges, license suspension, fines and incarceration.
Myth: Field sobriety tests are always accurate
Truth: The police could also ask people to do a field sobriety test – a kind of physical examination. These tests can help the police determine how sober a driver is. However, the police grade a field sobriety test by using their best judgment, which can be inaccurate. For example, a disability or medicine may make a driver look inebriated.
Myth: You can use a penny to pass a breath test
Truth: There are a lot of ways people try to trick breath tests. One is commonly believed to be the penny-in-the-mouth trick. It’s thought that pennies can make anyone pass a breath test. However, there’s no evidence supporting this claim.
Myth : DUI charges only happen at night
Truth: It’s possible that most DUI charges happen during the night after people leave bars. The truth is that a driver can get charged with a DUI no matter the time of day.
It can help people to understand their legal rights and defense options if they’re facing DUI charges.