Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a very serious and dangerous offense. Because of this, the penalties for a DUI can be significant. While a DUI charge is very serious, there are five steps that you can take to recover from the incident and move forward.
Stay Calm
If you are pulled over while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you need to do your best to stay calm. Even if you are arrested, being irrational and angry will only make the situation much worse. A much better option would be to be respectful of the officers and follow their instructions as closely as possible. This could go a long way when it comes to negotiating a plea later on. You should also avoid speaking with police as much as possible until you have representation present.
Hire an Attorney
Once you have been arrested, you should hire an attorney as soon as possible. A DUI attorney like Walter Bailey Law Firm will be able to provide you with many different services that can help to minimize your punishment. They will be able to provide you with consultation support, negotiation services, and a variety of other valuable services.
Plea
Once you have been charged and hired an attorney, another great option is to accept a plea for a lower charge. Local court systems do not want to spend much time on a standard DUI case. If you are willing to plead guilty, you could receive a minimal penalty and fine. This is especially true if it is your first DUI.
Stay in Compliance
When you are charged with a DUI, you will likely need to pay a penalty, do community service, or even spend a very short period of time in jail. It is extremely important that you stay in compliance with these requirements. If you do not, you could end up being in violation of your plea terms and could be hit with a much more severe penalty.
Seek Support
Most importantly, when you are charged with a DUI, you will need to seek out support to make sure that you never do it again. A DUI is often just one symptom of a more significant underlying issue. You may need to receive additional counseling or public support for alcoholism, drug addiction, or anger management.
Once you have started down the road to recovery from a DUI, it is important to make sure it never happens again. When you are going to an event that will include drinking, you should always have a backup plan for a safe ride home.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.
