The following blog is presented on behalf of Price Benowitz LLP.
Planning on taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and throwing a backyard celebration? If your celebration will include alcohol, read on for important tips on how you can help curb drinking and driving on Virginia roadways.
Nationally, there are over one million DUI arrests every year, with approximately 30,000 of these DUI arrests in Virginia alone. In the event that you are charged with a DUI, you should contact a Fairfax DUI Lawyer or a Manasses DUI Lawyer. While impaired driving and drunk driving may coincide, they aren’t necessarily the same thing. A person is considered to be driving under the influence in Virginia, or driving drunk, when their blood alcohol content (BAC) is at or above 0.08. However, even with a BAC lower than 0.08 a person’s coordination, judgment, and reflexes can be impaired and Virginia police have the right to issue a DUI to anyone whose driving appears to be impaired, regardless of BAC.
Ensure that your guests don’t drink and drive by arranging in advance for some guests to remain sober and function as designated drivers. Some may not wish to or may not be able to drink and might therefore welcome the opportunity to volunteer for sober driver duty. Collect car keys from the rest of your guests and hang on to them if their owners are intoxicated.
Make sure that these volunteers, and other party goers, have plenty of non-alcoholic beverage options. If you’re hiring a bartender or asking a friend to handle the duties, explain that it’s important to you that guests are not over-served. As with all things, moderation is key. Additionally, arrange for “last call” in advance of the party’s end. Give about an hour of breathing room for guests to unwind, have some additional bites to eat, and sip some alternate beverages before they start heading home. Remember that hot weather can be dehydrating—and alcoholic drinks may thus affect those drinking more severely than usual.