What your urine, breath and blood might say about you
Brooklyn is a popular borough in New York City known for many things, including heavy traffic. Whether a permanent resident or a visitor just passing through, you might join many others who enjoy the cultural flare, culinary fare and many recreation locations offered in the area, such as Coney Island and Prospect Park.
From famous hot dogs to bagel shops and wine-tasting delights, there’s plenty to do in this town. Unfortunately, the scenes on some of its heavily traveled roadways often include red and blue flashing lights and uniformed officers speaking to people through car windows on the side of the roads. Some of these motorists receive warnings and police allow them to go about their business, and others wind up cited for traffic violations or charged with drunk driving.
Did a police officer ask you to step out of your car?
If a police officer requests that you exit your vehicle, and asks if you’ve been drinking, you can safely assume you he or she suspects you of more than driving above the speed limit or violating some other traffic law. If you did consume alcohol before getting behind the wheel, the decisions you make from this point on out could greatly affect your future.
Of course, many people greatly reduce the chances of such problems by abstaining from alcohol whenever they plan to drive; however, it’s not always illegal to drive after drinking an alcoholic beverage.
Results of these tests are crucial
Three typical chemical tests exist that police might request when trying to determine whether your blood alcohol content level was beneath or above the legal limit at the time of a particular incident.
Urine test: This test isn’t considered as reliable as the others because it often gives inaccurate results because once alcohol reaches urine (which takes several hours after consumption) it tends to stay there for 24 hours or so, which further confuses matters.
Breath test: The most well-known device used for breath tests is the Breathalyzer. However, several types of breath test devices actually exist. When properly administered, this test provides fairly accurate results that prosecutors often attempt to use as evidence in court.
Blood test: Police often also request that you get blood drawn. When done and tested properly, prosecutors consider this the most accurate of the three tests.
So, what’s the next step?
It can be quite unnerving getting arrested and charged with DUI. Such charges are not mere traffic violations, but actual crimes. You could face severe penalties, especially if you faced these charges before. Other aspects of your life suffer as a result of these charges as well, such as your job, your education, your marriage or your good standing in your community.
To protect your rights and obtain guidance regarding what to do next, you might consider talking to a criminal defense attorney. He or she can review the circumstances surrounding your arrest and determine whether any weaknesses in the prosecution’s case exist. In addition, an attorney might be aware of other options available to provide you with the best outcome possible to the charges.
Office Location
Neil S. Ruskin
188 Montague Street Suite 900
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Local: (718) 237-1547
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