I spent years as a DUI investigator before I became a defense attorney. The vast majority of DUI arrests I made were avoidable. Here's how to keep yourself out of one.
1. Plan the ride home before you take the first sip.
Decision fatigue is real. The version of you that's had two drinks will not make the same call the sober version would.
2. Know your real limit.
Florida's legal limit is 0.08%. Many people are impaired well below that, especially on an empty stomach, on medication, or after a few hours of sleep.
3. If you're pulled over, be polite — and quiet.
- License, registration, insurance. That's what's required.
- You do not have to answer 'how much have you had to drink tonight?'
- You are not required to perform field sobriety exercises in Florida.
- You can refuse the roadside breath test (a refusal carries consequences — call a lawyer before you decide on the station breath test).
4. If you're arrested, call a defense lawyer immediately.
You have 10 days to challenge the administrative license suspension. Miss that window and you give up the only chance to fight your license loss.
The bottom line
The best DUI defense is not getting arrested in the first place. The second best is hiring a lawyer who has been on both sides of the stop.
