It’s very common for people to call us and tell us that this is their first DUI. What they mean to say is that this is all new and scary. We understand that. After all, you hope that it never happens to you in the first place, let alone more than once.
As you’re thinking, my goodness this is my first DUI, try to put this all into perspective. In British Columbia about 12,000 people each year find themselves in trouble for a drinking-driving incident. The numbers are surprising and a little disheartening but also it’s clear that many people have gone through this tough time and come out okay when the dust settles.
First things first:
Now that you know you’re not the only one in this situation, time to take a deep breath. Getting a DUI isn’t the end of the world. It’s a problem you can deal with. If you’re finding yourself with suicidal thoughts, please speak your doctor immediately. This is a tough time but there are better days ahead and there is help to get you through.
I got my first DUI. Am I a bad person?
Impaired driving, drunk driving – whatever you want to call it usually starts with a decision made after consuming alcohol. What does alcohol do to you? It takes away your reasoning ability. Alcohol is a product we enjoy, that the Government sells, that is advertised to us and which long predates automobiles. Humans have been drinking long before recorded history and in all that time humans made judgment errors while drinking. You cannot say that someone is immoral or a bad person because they made a judgment error after consuming alcohol.
This is not to suggest that drunk driving is excusable. It is dangerous to the wider community. The loss of life and injuries suffered by drunk driving since driving began is incalculable. The problem is the combination of alcohol and driving. Although the damage in many cases has been awful, the actual moral fault would arise from a loss of the ability to make good decisions. It’s hard to make that call when alcohol is a product we as humans use and accept.
First DUI: Now what do I do?
Get a lawyer. You might feel intimidated calling a lawyer but you shouldn’t be. DUI lawyers deal with regular people every day. As DUI lawyers, we can tell you that our clients are regular people just like you. We are regular people. It just happens that we made it our careers to help people out who get into trouble in drunk-driving cases.
Time is important
In British Columbia, there are deadlines that come in as few as 7 days from the date the police dealt with you. Your lawyer will need time as well, so the sooner you contact a lawyer the sooner your lawyer can take steps to deal with it.
Strange defences
It’s often surprising that you can succeed in a DUI case for reasons that you might think would have sunk your ship. Open alcohol beverages in your car might seem like the worst thing ever. Sometimes the fact of open liquor, depending on some very special considerations, may provide a defence. The point is that just because the facts seem bad to you, they may be in your favour once your lawyer gets a chance to think about them.
What’s the worst that could happen?
It depends on the type of case, the manner in which the police gathered evidence and possibly the outcome of a trial. If someone was injured in a collision, the worst thing that can happen is a jail sentence.
Your lawyer can tell you pretty quickly what’s likely to happen in your case. We guarantee it will ease your mind once you get to this point.
Learn more to handle the stress
Fear of the unknown is one of the most upsetting aspects of facing something like a drunk driving allegation. If you’re wondering what will happen, and you’re ready to call us to say “this is my first DUI” just pick up the phone and call us now. We’ll do our best to explain to you how your case will unfold. Our job is to help people facing DUIs. We’d be happy to help you too. Call us, free, on 604-685-8889.