The statistics of drunk driving paint a disturbing picture. It seems that more people than you may think engage in drunk driving. That’s why it’s important that people get rid of the misconceptions they have about DUIs!
Only evil people drive under the influence
This is inaccurate. But why make a big deal out of it being a myth? Why is it such a bad idea to have this misconception running through your head? I’ll admit that there’s a certain use in this line of thinking. When you demonize behaviors in this way, it makes sense that people would take particular pains to avoid it. But it can also work in the opposite way.
If people assume that they’re not evil, then they’ll automatically assume that they’re incapable of such an act. But driving drunk isn’t so much “evil” as it is “stupid”. And decent people are capable of that. Think about it. Have you ever been drunk but not actually considered the fact that you were drunk? Sometimes for long periods of time? I’m willing to bet it’s happened to most people. All it takes is a slight slip in reasoning and you could be behind the wheel.
It’s totally okay not to cooperate with the police
This thinking may stem from the belief that you rarely have to cooperate with the police in any matter. At least, not without an attorney present. But when a police officer pulls you over for suspicious behavior, your best bet is to comply with their wishes. (If it’s regarding a DUI suspicion, of course.)
Remember: when you get your driving license, you’re giving implied consent. It means that sooner or later you must participate in a sobriety test in these circumstances If you don’t, you will face a penalty.
A DUI arrest is the end of your career
It’s true that a DUI arrest can have adverse effects on your career. Even if your job doesn’t involve driving, some employers will simply fire you for having committed such a crime.
How fair this is should probably be judged on a case-by-case basis, of course. But what if a DUI arrest was unfair? And even if it was, how can such effects be mitigated? The fact is that a DUI doesn’t have to spell disaster for your career. If you’re involved in such an occurrence, you’re best off working with a DUI lawyer.
You can trick a breathalyzer test
Hey, those breathalyzers often look pretty flimsy, right? Some people have even confused them for drink bottles. So surely they can be beaten with a few sneaky “lifehacks”?
Well, no, not really. The problem is that all these tricks you hear about affect the inside of your mouth. But a breathalyzer checks the air inside your lungs. And you’re not going to decrease the alcohol content there! So all those tricks involving smoking, breath mints, and sucking pennies are completely bogus.
(The idea behind sucking pennies is that the copper content will create a chemical reaction that will trick the breathalyzer. Not only is this false, but U.S. pennies have been made from 97.5% zinc since 1983 anyway! A fail on all accounts, I’m afraid.)
