Consequences Of Driving While Under The Influence Of Alcohol

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The holiday season is here and Christmas carolers and Santa Clause won’t be the only people out this year.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol is also hitting the holiday road on the look out for those who decide to drink and drive.

“People tend to want to have a good time during the holiday season, but where they make the mistake is when they decide to drink and drive, and that’s where they’re jeopardizing their safety and the safety of others,” said Sgt. Derrick Beckom, MHP Troop G Public Information Officer.

Beckom said it’s their goal to not have any fatalities, and reducing the number of drunk drivers on the roadways is one way to help with that.

“When someone has been drinking and driving there are indicators that we look for,” Beckom described. “It may be the color of blood shot eyes, or the smell of the intoxicating beverage is the biggest giveaway right there. We’re trained to know what that smell is like no matter what you do to try and cover it up.”

Whenever someone gets pulled over for a DUI, Beckom said they’ll ask the driver to take a breathalyzer test to determine their blood alcohol level.

However, the driver does have the right to refuse the breathalyzer, but doing so will result in an automatic trip down to the jailhouse.

“At that time if you refuse that then I don’t know how much beverage, or alcoholic beverage you may have consumed,” said Beckom. “I don’t know what your levels of intoxication may be so at that time I’m going to detain you and take you to the jail and offer you the test again at the jail.”

If the person refuses to take the test again at the jail, they’ll be charged with DUI Refusal, which is a misdemeanor, and they can lose their drivers license for 90 days or longer.

“My advice would be to pretty much always blow into the machine these days as opposed to before the law changed, not to blowing in the machine,” said Attorney David Owen. 

Owen has been a practicing attorney for more than three decades and said when it comes to driving under the influence, it always comes with a price to pay, whether it’s spending time behind bars, paying for a damaged vehicle, or paying court and attorney fees. 

“DUI’s make your insurance premium skyrocket, you have to lose your license for certain number of days, you have to go to Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program, victim impact panels, it’s expensive.”

DUI first and second are misdemeanors.

However, a third DUI is a felony.

The blood alcohol content for those under 21 years old is .02, and for those 21 years or older, the level is .08.

Categories: Local News

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