More than 32,000 people were arrested for drunk-driving in Florida in 2018, and 69 of them were underage. A DUI arrest can have serious consequences even if you did not cause any accident or damages. You can lose your licence or you can go to jail, depending on the circumstances. If you live in the Punta Gorda area and you’re facing DUI charges, you need to look up the best Punta Gorda criminal defense lawyers as soon as possible.Time is of the essence in DUI cases as you risk losing your driving license.According to the law, after a DUI arrest you only have 10 days to request a probable cause hearing from the DMV. If you don’t ask for a hearing, your license will be automatically-suspended on the 11th day and you risk not being able to drive to work.This is why you need to get in touch with an experienced DUI lawyer immediately after an arrest on drunk-driving charges. You should have your lawyer present when you go before the DMV and if everything goes well you can get a 42-day temporary driving license, which will help you put your affairs in order.Once you’ve dealt with the immediate problem of being allowed to drive for an extended period, your criminal defense lawyer in Punta Gorda will have a look at your case and work out a defense strategy. One of the most important factors is your blood alcohol concentration or BAC. Under Florida law, if your BAC is 0.08% or above, this is a criminal offence. For commercial drivers, the limit is 0.04%. If your BAC is over 0.15% you’ll need good legal representation because you’re facing serious penalties. When they’re pulled over by the police, many of the drivers who’ve had a few drinks wonder if it’s not best to refuse to take a test. This is not advisable as the laws regarding drunk-driving are based on the implied consent principle. Basically, when you get behind the wheel, it is implied that you will submit to a breathalyzer test if requested. Failure to do so will look very bad in court, as it indicates you were indeed drunk and wanted to conceal it.

Plain view: Man opening bottle behind the wheel; image by energe.com, via Pexels.com.

On the other hand, refusing a test doesn’t mean you won’t be charged as they won’t have proof of you being intoxicated. You can be charged with drunk-driving if the police officer stopping you has reason to believe your faculties were impaired. The police can also base their charges on your actions before you got pulled over. No matter the circumstances that led to your DUI arrest, schedule a free consultation with a Florida drunk-driving lawyer and ask them to have a look at the evidence against you. If you did not take a BAC test, your lawyer can try to weaken the state’s case against you, by challenging the police officer’s assumption that you were drunk. Serious emotions or certain diseases can make you look as if your faculties were impaired. Also, a skilled lawyer can come up with mitigating circumstances, especially if you don’t have prior DUI convictions.