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Top Five Mistakes Made by Pennsylvania DUI Defendants

Top Five Mistakes Made by Pennsylvania DUI Defendants

• 5. Driving a Car after Drinking Alcohol. This one is admittedly obvious. But in today’s legal environment, the consequences of a DUI conviction can be devastating, often causing a driver’s license suspension, increased car insurance rates or cancellation, and a loss of employment. And with a legal limit of 0.08%, it only takes a couple of drinks (or less) to be in violation of the law.

• 4. Failing to Strictly Follow the Rules of the Road. Most DUI arrests take place at night, when police are on the lookout for drunk drivers. In other words, the cops are looking for a reason to pull you over. Don’t give them one.

• 3. Performing Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs). Not to be confused with chemical tests (see #7, below), FSTs are completely voluntary. Also, many adults are not capable of "passing" these tests even when completely sober. The police officer will almost always testify that the defendant failed all of the tests, and this serves to bolster the prosecution’s case. Most accused drivers would be well advised to politely refuse to perform these tests.

• 2. Refusing to Submit to a Chemical Test. Pennsylvania has an "Implied Consent" law. This means that, by driving on a road in Pennsylvania, you have implicitly consented to submit to a blood, breath, or urine test if requested by a police officer who reasonably suspects you of DUI. The consequences of a Chemical Test Refusal include a driver’s license suspension, in addition to any suspension that may be imposed upon conviction in criminal court.

• 1. Failing to Contact a Pennsylvania DUI Attorney as soon as possible after the arrest. Many people arrested for DUI in PA put off contacting an attorney because they are afraid, embarrassed, or simply busy with other things. Some make the mistake of thinking that a first-offense DUI is "no big deal." As an experienced PA DUI attorney, I can assure you the prosecutors and courts don’t feel that way. Even under the ARD program, there are steps that can often be taken to reduce the consequences to the defendant, and this can mean the difference between losing your job or not. I have personally witnessed unrepresented DUI defendants suffer increased community service hours, fines, driver’s license suspensions, and jail time that could have been avoided with the services of a good lawyer.

Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Lawyer Richard Emhof has the experience and knowledge to achieve the best possible result in your case. The initial consultation is free of charge. Contact us today online or call 1-866-457-9957 to discuss your case.