14 Tips to Avoid a DWI or DUI Conviction: Fines, Jail, More!

Avoid a DWI or DUI conviction. These 14 tips can save you thousands of dollars. The costs of even a first time DWI conviction are very high. That is, if there is no crash. Of course, the costs of additional convictions skyrocket.

Overview

I. Costs of a DWI or DUI

II. Tips to avoid a DWI or DUI

III. Resources

Learn how police detect impaired drivers. Many of these driving behaviors would be ignored during daylight. But the risk of getting pulled over on suspicion of impaired driving goes up at night. It increases greatly between around midnight and 4:00 am. And it jumps very high on holidays, especially after dark.

Also be sure to learn what lawyers say to do if stopped on suspicion of DWI. Also some drivers secretly audio record their interactions on their cell phones if police pull them over.

I. Costs of a DWI or DUI

The exact costs of a first DWI conviction vary widely. Of course, it depends on the state, the circumstances, the defense lawyer, the judge, and many other factors.

For example the estimated cost in the state of New York is $9,500. And in Illinois it’s $14,660. On the other hand, in North Carolina it’s $4,820. In California it ranges from $6,140 to $19,450. And a survey by the Texas DOT found that the average cost ranges from $9,000 to $24,000.

However there are other expenses. Insurance rates jump after a DWI conviction. In the case of a teen driver, it can be $40,000 over 13 years. Conviction may mean loss of a job (or inability to get one), especially if it requires driving a vehicle.

And not all costs involve money. There also may be embarrassment, inconvenience, time spent in jail, time spent in “DWI school,” and so on.

By the way, don’t try this defense!

II. Tips to avoid a DWI or DUI

If you choose to drink, be sure to keep your blood alcohol concentration(BAC) low. To do so, here are some tips.

The first thing to keep in mind is that standard drinks of beer, wine, and spirits have the same amount of pure alcohol. It’s 0.6 of an ounce. So they’re all the same to a breath testers.
Remember that breath testers are not highly reliable. So keep your BAC far below the maximum legal limit. (This also has other advantages. That is, it may prevent a crash, injury, or even save your life.)
Use a personal alcohol breath tester. But remember that it’s even less accurate than those used by the police. That is another reason to stay well below the legal limit.
Also remember that your BAC will continue to rise after you stop drinking. So take that into consideration.
Your BAC will drop about 0.015 per hour after it peaks. Thus, a BAC of 0.05 takes about 3.33 hours to drop to 0.00. That is, 0.05 divided by 0.015 = 3.33. And a BAC of 0.08 takes about 5.33 hours to drop to 0.00. Again, 0.08 divided by 0.015 = 5.33. By the way, your body also produces alcohol 24/7.
See Also

DWI/DUI Facts & Fiction: Urban Myths.
Unreliable Breathalyzer Tests. (Learn much more.)
Are Low BAC Drivers a Problem for Traffic Safety?
More Tips
Nibble on food or munchies while you’re drinking.
If you’re at a gathering, delay having your first alcoholic drink.
Pace your alcoholic drinks. A rule of thumb is no more than one every hour helps keep your BAC low.
Have non-alcoholic drinks between alcoholic ones.
Sip and savor your drinks. Don’t gulp them.
Don’t play drinking games.
Be wary of punches. And of drinks in unusual size or shape containers. The reason is that it’s hard to know how much alcohol they contain. Thus, it’s hard to pace them.
Even if your BAC is legal, you can still be charged with DWI/DUI! So avoid being pulled over. Keep your car in good working order. A bad tail light is an invitation to be stopped. Also obey all traffic laws. Signal when changing lanes, make no rolling stops, etc. And, if pulled over, be polite.
One foolproof ways to avoid a DWI or DUI is not to drink. Another is to use a Designated Driver.