DUI or DWI infractions are frequent during festivities. The lively atmosphere during the festivities provides an enabling environment for many members of the public to intoxicate themselves without necessarily making arrangements for a designated driver. For many, it is an opportunity to take cover in the multitude of people and the stretched public monitoring and enforcement agencies to willfully engage in DUI or DWI infractions. These individuals put their lives and that of the general public in grave danger. The potential damage to property as a result of DUI or DWI infraction can run into millions. One such event that is renowned for its festivities is the Super Bowl: a global sporting event that comes with more than just a baseball game.
The Super Bowl: A Carnival of DUI/DWI Infractions
There is an uneasy yet conventional relationship between alcohol and sports, and baseball is no different. And at the grandest stage of all, when the baseball champions of the world are being crowned, there is always a spike in incidences of DUI and DWI infractions. While the last edition of the Super Bowl has held miles away in Houston, Texas, law enforcement officers in major cities in Colorado had their hands full throughout the weekend of the Super Bowl. The weekend was one of the busiest for the law enforcement departments especially in major cities such as Denver had to work around the clock to ensure that the general public was safe.
During the weekend of 3rd and 6th February, the officers nabbed a staggering 273 individuals. This is an average of 91 individuals payday for the three days. The arrests were made by close to 100 law enforcement agencies spread across the state from Aurora, Denver, and Colorado Springs among others. The well-coordinated operation saw the officers heighten their highway patrol activities. They also cast their net far and wide to cover every inch of the cities to ensure that revelers who have been intoxicated during the Super Bowl festivities do not endanger the lives of others.
The operation mounted by officers was well calculated as it was built on last year’s experience where over 300 individuals were also arrested for violating the Colorado DUI/DWI laws. Having established the correlation between festivities and a spike in the number of DUI/DWI cases, the state security apparatuses have launched major operations targeting such festivities. After the Super Bowl festivities arrests, they have now trained their eyes on the upcoming public holidays including St. Patrick’s Day where they planned a week intensive patrol.
Dangers of Impaired Driving
The highest number of road fatalities result from impaired driving, which is a daily occasion along the roads of Colorado and other states. This is the primary reason why DUI and DWI infractions are severely in the state and other jurisdictions. The social and economic implications of accidents resulting from impaired driving are usually huge. The mental trauma associated with accidents especially if the injuries are serious or permanent is usually hard to deal with.
In many states, the burden of proof of responsibility while pursuing insurance claims arising from such accidents is usually with the claimant. For the victims of accidents arising from impaired driving, this burden of proof is easy to meet. Their claims, with the help of legal experts, will easily sail through. However, for the drivers at fault due to their impaired driving, they may be required by law to take responsibility for the insurance claims arising from their reckless driving. It would be double tragedy if they were also injured or lost their valuables during the accident.
Causing a road accident involving injuries and any fatality while driving under the influence can set off a chain of events whose nadir can be jail time. In case of fatalities, you may be charged with vehicular manslaughter. If convicted, your weekend of festivities may metamorphose into several years in a state penitentiary, the lost source of income or job and a damaged reputation. In some cases, your night or evening of driving and subsequently driving under the influence can cost you your driving license. The inconvenience of being banned from driving is palpable and sometimes very costly. For many, driving is an almost mandatory requirement to successfully fulfill their daily career obligations, without which holding down their jobs might be impossible.
If you escape jail time, then you will hit with heavy fines or forced to attend classes for alcoholism and substance abuse management. As a social drinker, the last thing you need to worry about is a probation officer always on your case checking on you in case you violate your probation.
Caught While DUI/DWI Driving?
Drinking is one of the most common social norms not only in Colorado but worldwide. A bottle of two might seem harmless. You might even feel comfortable behind the wheel. However, the key is not the number of bottles but how alcohol reacts with your system. Instead of facing a license revocation, time behind bars, fines, and other inconveniencing penalties, ensure that you do not pass the set alcohol limits by having portable personal breathalyzers to check your blood alcohol levels. This can help make an informed decision whether to drive or take a taxi home instead of putting other people’s lives. Having a patch or a phone app that can automatically detect your blood alcohol levels can also do the trick. For the app, some can call predetermined numbers in case your blood alcohol levels to help you out. Optionally, it is always advisable to have a designated driver who you can always take charge.
In the eventuality that you are caught by the law enforcement officers like in the case of those revelers during the Super Bowl weekend, you will need a DUI/DWI lawyer. Since DUI/DWI infractions are treated seriously across all states, chances of you escaping the arms of the law with a DUI/DWI are very limited. Before settling for any attorney to represent you, carry out research on your case on online platforms such as DUIwise to get to the grips of your case. For highly qualified DUI/DWI attorneys with an excellent track record of winning trials and who will ensure that you receive a reduced sentence, kindly visit DUIwise.com.