People with plans to attend major celebrations with friends often make arrangements for transportation back home beforehand. That way, they can enjoy as many drinks as they want without worrying about getting home safely.
Adults who enjoy a good craft beer or martini can indulge themselves responsibly and make every reasonable effort to follow the law. They can still sometimes find themselves facing criminal charges. Occasionally, people who have consumed large amounts of alcohol or who may have undiagnosed medical conditions could find themselves facing charges because of a traffic stop that occurs the day after they drink.
Why do day-after DUI arrests happen?
The human body has a limit to how much alcohol it can metabolize at any given time. Factors including age, weight, sex and diet all influence the speed at which any given individual’s body breaks down alcohol. People tend to break down one serving of alcohol each hour.
If an individual was significantly over the legal limit when they went to bed, they could wake up still over the legal limit even though they feel far better than they did the night before. An early wake-up time or a very late night could contribute to the driver still having a BAC well over the limit the next day after drinking.
Other times, issues with screening systems, including chemical test units, can lead to an arrest the day after a driver enjoyed alcohol. A breath test device that has not received regular maintenance may produce inaccurate, elevated test results. Failing to download software updates, repair physical damage or regularly calibrate the device might mean that a small amount of detectable alcohol the day after produces unreasonable test results during a traffic stop.
Especially if the driver didn’t have any difficulty managing their vehicle, they may question the validity of the charges they face. Individuals who made every reasonable attempt to comply with the law could be at risk of criminal prosecution. Exploring the unique circumstances that led to a DUI charge can help motorists plan a defense strategy. It is sometimes possible to avoid a conviction in criminal court with the right approach.