Happy New Year! It is time to put 2017 behind us and celebrate the start of a new year! We hope you enjoy your New Year’s Eve festivities, and we urge you to take the steps necessary to ring in 2018 DUI-free.
Remember that a DUI is more than just a party foul. Safety is at risk! Seattle Dept of Transportation (SDOT) reports that in 2016, nearly 10,500 individuals died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States. Please do not endanger the lives of yourself and those around you!
You do not want to start out 2018 with a DUI charge! There will certainly be enhanced DUI patrols out tonight and you could be looking at driver’s license suspension, large fines, jail time, and the long term impacts of a criminal record.
There are many options for getting around safely tonight!
With the ease and availability of multiple transportation options, there is really no reason to get behind the wheel if you have been drinking!
SDOT outlines safe ride options for your New Year’s Eve Celebrations:
- Take TRANSIT: It is FREE ON NYE! King County Metro will provide free rides for all customers tonight.
- Use a RIDESHARE or CAB option: Lyft, Uber, Curb, Flywheel, and Yellow Cab App are all available with ease from your smartphone.
- Use the LYFT NYE discount! New and existing Lyft users who are heading to or from Lower Queen Anne can enjoy a 18% discount this evening using code: LQANYE18 –> Get the details here
Please plan accordingly to keep everyone safe:
- Choose to drive sober or designate someone else to. If you are the designated driver, don’t drink.
- If you have driven to your celebration and consumed alcohol, use one of the above options to get home. You can go get your car tomorrow!
- If you know others who are about to drive under the influence, help them make other arrangements to get home safely.
If you do find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being accused of DUI:
- Don’t answer any questions. Politely tell the officer you don’t wish to make any statements and you want to speak to an attorney. Admission can be used against you later in court, but your silence or request for counsel cannot.
- Don’t complete field tests.These tests are voluntary and you should tell the officer you decline any voluntary tests. The officer is looking for evidence against you and it is never a good idea to give it to them.
These are significant charges and you should not try to tackle them without experienced counsel to advise you appropriately and advocate on your behalf.