Did you know that alcohol use is highest in the summer?
OWI In The Summer
There are many reasons why people may engage in heavier drinking throughout the summer months. The longer days allow people to stay out later and often do activities with friends. In many cases, such social gatherings involve a large supply of alcohol.
After the fun is over, people are faced with the task of getting home. In some cases, individuals choose to drive themselves. This leads to an increase in drunk drivers during the summer months. The police are aware of this seasonal increase and often increase their OWI patrols as well, culminating in a higher number of OWI arrests.
Summer Holidays
Summer holidays tend to be one of the most common times for OWI incidents to occur. Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day are a few of the weekends when OWI spikes. Police officers are aware of this, and will often increase their presence even further in order to make more arrests.
Avoiding an OWI Arrest This Summer
There are steps you can take to avoid having your summer tarnished by a stressful OWI arrest.
Here is some advice to keep in mind:
- Plan ahead: Before heading to a social event, know how you’re getting home at the end of the night. This will help you plan for how much you can drink and avoid any last-minute decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated.
- Know your rights: If you are stopped for suspected OWI, know what you do and do not have to do. Use your right to remain silent, don’t make any admissions about drinking, and refuse to participate in field sobriety testing.
- Sobriety checkpoints: You may come upon a police stop that closely resembles a sobriety checkpoint. However, the use of these checkpoints to catch drunk drivers is not permitted in Michigan. If you go through a quasi checkpoint and are arrested, an experienced defense attorney can help prove it was an illegal stop and fight for your case to be dismissed.
OWI Defense Attorneys in Kalamazoo
If all else fails and you are arrested for OWI this summer, our team at Levine & Levine Attorneys at Law can help you fight your charge. We understand the numerous complexities involved in these cases and are experienced with using creative defenses to get our clients’ charges reduced or dismissed. Call us at (269) 218-8880 to get started as soon as possible after your arrest.