Did You Know That DUI Enforcement Increases During the Holidays?

Retailers are not the only ones getting ready for the winter holidays, law enforcement officers in Boca Raton and throughout Florida are also preparing for the holiday season. This is because the Florida Highway Patrol and many different local law enforcement agencies participate in the enhanced DUI enforcement campaign called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” set forth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The campaign focuses on the following time periods toward the end of the year:

• Halloween;
• Thanksgiving;
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; and
• New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

In addition, ramped up enforcement efforts will continue during the “pre-holiday season” from November 28th until December 15th. Officers will likely plan sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols around areas with many bars, restaurants, or other establishments that serve alcohol.

Drunk driving is believed to increase during the holiday season due to the number of gatherings that generally occur. People often head to multiple parties with co-workers, family, and friends and most of these gatherings have alcohol served. If you attend a holiday party, always be certain to have alternate transportation available if you plan on drinking.

What To Do If You Are Arrested For DUI

The penalties for a DUI conviction under Florida law can be serious and may include suspension of your driver’s license, probation, or even jail time. For this reason, if you are arrested on suspicion of DUI, your first call should be to a skilled DUI defense lawyer. There are many legal defenses an attorney can raise in defense against your charges, especially if officers did not follow proper protocol during a sobriety checkpoint or other increased enforcement effort. Too many people believe that they can handle their case on their own and end up overlooking constitutional rights violations, errors on the part of the police, or other valid defenses that may have limited the consequences they faced or even had their case dismissed. You should always try to avoid drinking and driving but, in the event you do get arrested for DUI during the holidays–or any other time of year–you should have the highest quality of legal assistance on your side.

Consult With An Experienced Boca Raton DUI Defense Attorney Today

Whether you are arrested due to a DUI checkpoint, a saturation patrol, or a regular traffic stop, you need a qualified criminal defense lawyer on your side who can identify whether your rights have been violated and who can build an effective defense against your charges. Though DUI charges may not seem as serious as other types of criminal charges, a conviction can have a significant effect on your life. At the law office of Lavalle, Brown & Ronan in Boca Raton, we have helped numerous individuals defend against DUI charges so please call us today at 888-646-1315 to discuss your case.

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