Savannah Criminal Defense Legal Blog

As you make your way toward a DUI checkpoint, your stomach may begin to flutter and your hands might begin to sweat. You may experience these nerves even if you're sober, as you never know what will happen when you come face to face with law enforcement.

Of course, if you've had a drink or two, you have even more reason to be nervous. While there's nothing fun about going through a DUI checkpoint, there are tips you can follow to improve your chance of avoiding trouble.

• Avoid erratic driving behavior: Now's not the time to swerve all over the road, stop and start suddenly or drive in an aggressive manner. Stay in your lane and slowly move toward the checkpoint.
• Don't leave alcohol in plain sight: It goes without saying that an open alcohol container is a big no-no, as this is against the law. However, this also holds true for unopened containers. Even though it's not illegal to transport alcohol, this may give the officer an idea of what you're up to.
• Don't talk back: It doesn't matter what the officer says to you, answer their questions honestly and keep your cool. Talking back will cause more harm than good, and could result in your arrest.
• Don't complain about your legal rights: It's true that you have legal rights as a driver, but you don't have to share this information with the officer. Many people make the mistake of saying that a DUI checkpoint is illegal, despite the fact that it's not, in most cases.
• Avoid an illegal U-turn: You're permitted to turn around as opposed to traveling through a DUI checkpoint. What you're not permitted to do is make an illegal U-turn.

Many people think of traffic violations or tickets as a basic risk of the road. Quite a few drivers routinely bend or break Georgia traffic laws during their daily commute. Most of the time, they don't end up caught.

Occasionally, law enforcement will happen to observe when someone is driving too quickly or perhaps forgetting to use a blinker: A citation or ticket is likely. You may think that if you're not facing a DUI, it's not worth fighting a traffic infraction in court. However, there are a couple of very good reasons why you might want to push back against the citation you received on the road.

A criminal conviction in Savannah, like in other cities in Georgia or other states, can have lasting effects. Not only can it cost you thousands of dollars in legal fees, court fees and fines, but a conviction can cost you years of your life behind bars. And, after your jail or prison term ends, you could face additional time on probation.

Unfortunately, the effects described above are not the only ways your life will change if a criminal court convicts you of wrongdoing. Your future employment prospects could also severely change after a conviction. In fact, you may learn that finding a job, especially within certain fields and industries, is incredibly difficult.

Even though you understand the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, there may come a time when you make a mistake. For example, you could lose track of how many drinks you've consumed. As a result, this increases the likelihood of being arrested for driving under the influence.

DUI charges should always be taken seriously. It doesn't matter if you're a first time offender or you've faced similar trouble in the past, nothing changes the fact that you need to implement a strategy that can help you avoid a conviction.