Better Ways than Drinking and Driving

 Posted on April 04, 2021 in Uncategorized

You can still have a good time. Getting home safely, rather than risking a DWI charge, sometimes just takes a little thought, a little planning. There are many options to get you home safely.

A Novel Solution

An Amarillo-based Don't Drink and Drive Facebook group offers a unique solution to avoid risky situations. Sober members of the Facebook group can offer a ride, while drunken members can ask for a ride. That's pretty much it. Just post your Facebook message, one way or the other. Those needing rides may have had more to drink than they had planned to or may have lost their ride. Those offering rides are non-drinking friends, bartenders, or just folks with a particular concern for drunk driving, like the group's host who founded it after his father suffered paralysis in a drunk-driving accident. Hundreds of members have joined.

Getting Home Safe

Kudos to the Facebook group's host and members for helping one another drink responsibly while traveling safely. Yet getting home safely after having imbibed doesn't have to take a Facebook group. If you plan to party, consider doing any of these things in advance to ensure that you end up safe at home when the party's over:

• hold the party at home;
• join the party a safe walking distance from home;
• party where public transportation home is available;
• party where you have a hotel or other sleeping room available;
• designate a driver who commits to staying sober;
• bring along a non-drinking friend to do the driving; or
• have your ride-hailing app, roommate, or friend ready for your call.

Each of the above tips can help if you exercise caution. Taking a ride from a stranger you met on Facebook, for example, carries its own risks-it is unwise to take a ride from a stranger, especially if you are impaired by alcohol consumption. Notify a family member or trusted friend of your whereabouts and intentions if you are at all unsure of your personal safety.

When Plans Fail

Sometimes, though, things just don't work out as planned, even with the best of intentions. If you failed to plan or your plan failed you and but now need a ride home, you might:

• use your ride-hailing app;
• call a commercial cab service;
• use public transportation home;
• call your roommate, friend, or family member;
• check into a hotel room a safe walking distance nearby; or
• ask the restaurant, bar, or club for assistance.

All of these options are superior to risking a DWI charge. You do not need to feel drunk, or even be over the legal limit, to be pulled over, arrested, and charged with a DWI.

When You Face a DWI Charge

If you face a DWI charge, despite having the best plans and intentions, then retain Texas Board Certified DWI Specialist and national DWI expert Doug Murphy. As the 2021 Houston DWI Lawyer of the Year, Doug Murphy knows how to provide you with the best defense. Get the DWI charge behind you as quickly, surely, and responsibly as you can, while preserving your rights and reputation. Attorney Murphy is one of only two Texas lawyers holding both DWI Board Certification and Criminal Law Certification. Contact Murphy & McKinney Law Firm, P.C. online or at 713-229-8333 to discuss your case today.