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Every year, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration records about 10,000 deaths caused by intoxicated drivers. Considering this alarming rate, it’s no surprise that almost every region in the US has very strict DUI laws.

When you get pulled over, you expect to simply blow into the breathalyzer and be allowed to go your way if it’s below the state limits. This is not always the case. Not everyone walks away without punishment.

Sometimes, the fines for a DUI may be minimal; other times, they’re not. If a case is being filed against you, the best thing to do is to get help in fighting the DUI charge.

The good news is that there are a few ways to prevent the situation from even happening in the first place. Prevention, they say, is better than a cure. So, in this article, we’ll outline seven tips that can help you avoid a DUI.

The 7 Tips

As promised, here are the seven tips for avoiding a DUI:

1.   Eat before you drink

You’ll thoroughly regret not eating enough before you drink. When alcohol meets enough food in your stomach, it will take a longer time to get absorbed into your blood system. This means you won’t get intoxicated quickly. There are several other side effects of not eating enough before drinking. You must avoid it at all costs.

2.   Assign a designated driver

This is pretty useful when going to drink as a group. Ask one friend to stay sober while the others drink. This friend will be the designated driver who drops people off at their homes.

3.   Limit your alcohol consumption

If there’s no designated driver or you can’t afford to take public transport, then you must do all it takes to stay sober. Avoid shots—even a small amount can get you high in the shortest time. It’s a good idea to take limited cash to the bar. This way, even if you want another drink, you can’t afford one. Say no if someone else offers.

Learn to pace yourself. If you’re driving in the next hour, cut off your alcohol intake now. Take as much water as possible in between your breaks.

4.   Take care with prescription medicine

Certain prescription medications can also have effects similar to alcohol. Take care if you’ve been prescribed medication with adverse side effects similar to those of alcohol.

5.   Run a sobriety test yourself

There are hand-held alcohol testing devices available on the market that people can use to test their alcohol level. Purchase one and test yourself before getting behind the wheel. If it’s above the limit, book a cab or stay over at a friend’s place.

6.   Stay overnight

Some bars let intoxicated customers sleep over until the alcohol wears off. If you’re at one that doesn’t, consider booking a hotel or sleeping over at a friend’s place if your destination is far from your home.

7.   Order an Uber instead of driving yourself

You should not drive if you’re not in the best frame of mind. Hiring an Uber driver or using any other form of public transportation can save you from all the risks of driving in an impaired state. It’s always best to make plans ahead of time.

Wrapping Up

A simple DUI stop can quickly escalate to you having to spend the night in jail, or worse, getting a DUI charge on your record. If this happens, you’ll have a criminal record in the system that you can’t get rid of. You must do all it takes to avoid this situation.

NCS
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