When you hear the term DUI, you probably picture a similar scene. A man or woman pulled over on the side of the road, taking field sobriety tests in front of an officer before eventually being placed in the back of a squad car for driving under the influence. While this is the most common scene, it’s far from the only way to earn a DUI. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at four surprising ways you can end up charged with a DUI.
How To Get A Surprise DUI
Being pulled over on the highway when driving your car isn’t the only way you can be booked for DUI. Here’s four surprising ways you can earn a DUI.
1. Without Driving – You don’t need to be driving in order to be charged with DUI, you just keep to be considered in “physical control” of the vehicle. That means if you get behind the wheel in your parked car and decide to sleep off your buzz, you can actually end up charged with a DUI if you’re spotted by a police officer. If you absolutely need to sleep in your car because you’re too drunk (consider Uber or calling a friend), place the keys in the trunk or in a bag in the back seat so that there can be no mistake about your intentions and your control over the vehicle.
2. On A Boat – Boats are subjected to the same 0.08 blood alcohol standard, so don’t think you’re immune just because you’re on the water. Police like to patrol on the water and at boat launches, and if you’re over the limit, you can be arrested for DUI just like if you were driving your car. Your passengers can drink freely on a boat, unlike in a vehicle, and even the captain is allowed to drink on the water, but the driver must always stay below a 0.08 BAC, or they can get a DUI.
3. Lawnmower – We’ve shared stories about people who took a riding lawnmower into town or up the road and ended up getting stopped by police because they were over the limit. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever run into trouble if you’re just mowing your own lawn, but if you take the motorized mower on a public road or pathways, know that you could be charged with a DUI.
4. When You’re Sitting At Home – Now, police aren’t just going to be able to knock on your door and arrest you for DUI if you’re under the influence at your home, but that doesn’t mean you’re free from trouble once you get home. Let’s say you get in a fight with your girlfriend while you’re drunk and you drive home. Minutes later, police show up and ask you about the incident. If you admit to driving home and it’s clear that you’re under the influence, you can be charged with DUI even though you weren’t driving when police arrived. Just know that your house doesn’t mean you’re home free if police can prove you just drove there.
If you need help defending any of these DUIs or a more standard DUI, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today.
