It is scary, to say the least, if you get charged with or get arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), especially if this is your first DUI offense. For many, it is the first brush with the criminal justice system. Drink driving or DUI is one of the serious traffic offenses that you can find yourselves charged with. Sustained public education over the past few years have made us aware that penalties for DUI are harsh, ranging from the suspension, disqualification or cancellation of licence, fines, or imprisonment for more serious drink driving offenses. You’ll need to call an attorney in Orlando if you’re facing charges for a DUI.
First-time offenders can face disqualification from driving and have their licenses expunged immediately in a few states. On the spot, fines are issued if the BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) of first-time offenders are found to be below 0.079. This means that you may not always have to attend courts for a drink driving offense.
If, as a first-time offender, you would like to take the matter to the court, you may be fortunate to have some options open for you to lessen your penalties in the DUI case. You should be aware of what these options are, if you are a first-time offender.
Handling Your First DUI Offense
As a first step to getting your life back on track, you will need to attempt to reduce your penalties or drop the case. Here are a few tips that you can follow to handle your DUI offense.
Tell the truth. Magistrates are experienced enough to see through made-up excuses. The truth will score brownie points for you as a first-time offender.
Choose to Join Traffic Offender Intervention Program (TOIP). Thankfully the courts realize that accidents occur and mistakes happen. As a first-time offender, you can take the chance to reduce your penalties by choosing to participate in the TOIP. These government-supervised programs allow you to take classes on the dangers of drunk driving, attend a driving school, and undergo probation. On completion of these courses, you may have your DUI case expunged or removed. The advantage of opting for such courses, as a first-time traffic offender, is that it shows you in good light to the courts — as someone willing to change and learn from your mistakes
Tell the court about your otherwise good character, and hand them over well-written character references.
Getting the Right Help is Critical for First-Time Traffic Offenders
In Australia, across the states, traffic offenses are taken with utmost seriousness. Experienced legal help is critical in the matter to help reduce penalties or to get the case dropped altogether, irrespective of whether you have received a penalty notice or have had your license suspended, or have been charged with a more serious offense. Lawyers can effectively represent you in the court of law if needed, and guide you through the various authorities related to your case.
Treating such charges lightly is not advisable and can prove to be disadvantageous in the long run. It is better to consult reputed traffic lawyers who specialize in handling such an offense.
