Drunk driving is a serious crime that can lead to severe injuries and life-long criminal penalties. At all times, you should work to avoid being charged with a criminal charge such as a DUI.
Unfortunately, DUIs can be hard to avoid when you’re misinformed about the law. Here are a few myths about drunk driving you could be aware of:
Myth 1: The police will let you go for being honest
Truth: During a traffic stop, the police will likely ask you if you were drinking. While it’s typically always good to work with cops during a traffic stop, you may end up hurting yourself by telling the police that you were drinking. That isn’t to say that you should lie to the police, but you should understand your right to plead the Fifth. The Fifth Amendment gives people the right to remain silent and against self-incrimination.
Myth 2: You can use mouthwash to pass a breath test
Truth: Mouthwash and other forms of mouth freshener contain trace amounts of alcohol. If you use mouthwash before a breath test, then you could be increasing the blood alcohol content reading. In other words, you could have a 0.01 BAC before the mouthwash, and a 0.09 BAC after the mouthwash, which exceeds the legal driving limit.
Myth 3: You can use coffee to quickly sober up
Truth: Coffee is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant. In theory, coffee would cancel out alcohol much like water extinguishes fire. The truth is that coffee has no effect on someone’s sobriety. An impaired driver may believe they’re more focused after a quick jolt of caffeine when they’re actually experiencing impaired vision and poor judgment.
If you’re being charged with a DUI, you may need to learn what options you have for a criminal defense strategy.