It’s time to bust some DUI myths. Every year, college students get arrested for drinking and driving when they think they did what it takes to avoid legal charges. The problem is that they bought into myths, not reality, and they made critical mistakes.
You can’t take this chance. A DUI is incredibly expensive. It can harm your educational opportunities. It can derail your future. You are in college because you want to better your life, and you do not want to let one mistake based on misinformation take all of that away from you.
With that in mind, here are a few myths to watch out for:
1. You can’t get a DUI the next day
Yes, you can. Going to sleep is not some magical process that makes you instantly sober. If you wake up while you’re still intoxicated and you get behind the wheel, you can get arrested the next morning. The police don’t care when you claim to have had your last drink. They just care about how much alcohol is in your system now and how it may impair your driving.
Many people face arrest because they assume they must be sober. While it is true that time helps, remember that it can take hours. If you get drunk and then sleep for four hours on someone’s couch before driving home, while you may be more sober than the night before, the alcohol may not have had time to clear your system.
2. A cold shower can wake you up
This isn’t a myth, per se. A cold shower definitely can wake you up if you’re feeling tired. It can make you more alert. These things can help you drive better than you would otherwise.
However, do not mistake feeling alert with being sober. The shower does nothing to reduce your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). If you do get pulled over, no matter how alert and awake you feel, you could still get a DUI.
3. All you need is some coffee and a greasy breakfast
Again, this is more about how you feel. Eating food may help to settle your stomach. It may give you energy. The caffeine in your coffee can definitely make you feel more awake.
But food does not sober you up. Coffee does not replace alcohol. It just masks some of the symptoms. You could still fail a breath test, no matter what you ate or drank.
Your rights
Don’t fall for the myths. Understand when you’re too drunk to drive. If you do make a mistake and get arrested, though, make sure you know all of the legal options you have to protect your future.
